Sunday, November 25, 2012

Thomas Nagel Reviews Haidt

I don't endorse full Nagelian "transcendence" route, but agree with the main point: if you ignore the reason-based aspects of morality and moral theory you will arrive at a theory that makes no sense at all.
"Reflection and argument of this kind have played a significant role in moral reform, but Haidt’s picture of different moralities as composed, like different cuisines, from different blends of the six moral modules, suitably adapted to social circumstances, leaves little room for the pursuit of moral understanding and progress through rational reflection and the search for consistency. Yet this kind of thought is part of moral life, including Haidt’s, and any theory of moral psychology should try to understand it. Social cohesion may be a necessary function of an acceptable morality, but it is not the only one."

No comments:

Post a Comment