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Why Human Virtues Obtain in the Natural World

Karlsson, Jerker LU (2012) REVM51 20122
Centre for Theology and Religious Studies
Abstract (Swedish)
This essay aims to connect naturalism and virtue-ethics to a form of realism about values. The thesis advanced in the essay relies heavily on the Wittgensteinian concepts language-game and weltanschauung as explanatory tools for how values can be both real and unreal, both objective and subjective, both at the same time but not from the same perspective. It is argued that a good life is a concept that is grounded in biological facts but that the normativity inherent in this concept is a relational property that no scientific investigation can reveal or enlighten. Interwoven in the exposition is the approach to norms and values that was first articulated by Aristotle and it is argued that virtue-ethics is well endowed to expound and... (More)
This essay aims to connect naturalism and virtue-ethics to a form of realism about values. The thesis advanced in the essay relies heavily on the Wittgensteinian concepts language-game and weltanschauung as explanatory tools for how values can be both real and unreal, both objective and subjective, both at the same time but not from the same perspective. It is argued that a good life is a concept that is grounded in biological facts but that the normativity inherent in this concept is a relational property that no scientific investigation can reveal or enlighten. Interwoven in the exposition is the approach to norms and values that was first articulated by Aristotle and it is argued that virtue-ethics is well endowed to expound and investigate ethical questions at all depth since it operates with a deflated metaphysics of values and is adapted to the relational character of normativity. It is also suggested that moral properties others than those advocated by virtue ethics might survive being naturalized but since moral properties is so variegated no general conclusion can be drawn from the results obtained in this study. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Karlsson, Jerker LU
supervisor
organization
course
REVM51 20122
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
Naturalism, Virtue-ethics, Weltanschauung, Language game, Aristotle
language
English
id
3222436
date added to LUP
2013-04-11 11:18:33
date last changed
2015-12-14 13:36:18
@misc{3222436,
  abstract     = {{This essay aims to connect naturalism and virtue-ethics to a form of realism about values. The thesis advanced in the essay relies heavily on the Wittgensteinian concepts language-game and weltanschauung as explanatory tools for how values can be both real and unreal, both objective and subjective, both at the same time but not from the same perspective. It is argued that a good life is a concept that is grounded in biological facts but that the normativity inherent in this concept is a relational property that no scientific investigation can reveal or enlighten. Interwoven in the exposition is the approach to norms and values that was first articulated by Aristotle and it is argued that virtue-ethics is well endowed to expound and investigate ethical questions at all depth since it operates with a deflated metaphysics of values and is adapted to the relational character of normativity. It is also suggested that moral properties others than those advocated by virtue ethics might survive being naturalized but since moral properties is so variegated no general conclusion can be drawn from the results obtained in this study.}},
  author       = {{Karlsson, Jerker}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Why Human Virtues Obtain in the Natural World}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}