A critical discussion of Jonathan Dancy's moral particularism

Dancy, Jonathan;Ethics

Schwind, Philipp ; Broadie, Sarah ; Broadie, Sarah

University:University of St Andrews

Department:Philosophical, Anthropological & Film Studies (School of)

关键词: Dancy, Jonathan;    Ethics;   

Others  :  https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/363/MPhil%20Dissertation%20Philipp%20Schwind%20Philosophy.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

来源: DR-NTU

【 摘 要 】

'Moral Particularism' is a view that questions the role ofprinciples in ethics. Jonathan Dancy, the most eminent particularist, arguesthat principles which claim that it is right or wrong to do a certain thing inall situations cannot adequately account for the role context plays in moral deliberation.The aim of this dissertation is to critically evaluate the theory of MoralParticularism. The first section discusses various positions opposed toparticularism. It considers the emergence of particularism as a response toHare's Theory of Universalizability and Ross's Theory of Prima Facie Duty.The dissertation then moves on to examine the view that context-sensitivitydoes not support particularism. The second part of this dissertation analysesDancy's theory in closer detail. It begins with a clarification of Dancy'sconception of principles and is followed by a consideration of the evolutionof particularism over time. The plausibility of the various versions ofthis theory are then compared. The third part of the dissertation looksat criticism of particularism by others apart from Dancy. It argues thatcontext-sensitivity can only ground particularism as an epistemic, and notas a metaphysical theory. Furthermore, it discusses whether thick ethicalconcepts can ground principles. The dissertation concludes by assertingthat whilst the claims of particularism are true, they are no serious threat totraditional moral theories.