Review of Ethics: Twelve Lectures on the Philosophy of Morality, by David Wiggins

2007 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-337
Author(s):  
Eric Rovie ◽  
Keyword(s):  
David Wiggins

Desire, Infinity, and the Meaning of Life

Philosophy ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Meaning Of Life ◽  
David Wiggins

AbstractIn his paper ‘Truth, Invention, and the Meaning of Life’ David Wiggins identifies a certain framework in terms of which to tackle the question of life's meaning. I argue that his criticisms of this framework are justified, and develop an alternative which trades upon some themes from Hegel, Schopenhauer, and Levinas. This alternative remains in the spirit of Wiggins' own preferred standpoint, although he would take issue with its theological implications. I argue that such misgivings are misplaced, and that a move in the direction of God may be precisely what is needed if we are to provide an adequate alternative to the framework under attack.

scholarly journals Bernard Williams on the History of Ethical Views and Practices

Philosophy ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-243
Author(s):  
Tim Heysse
Keyword(s):  
Bernard Williams ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
The Past ◽  
Look Back ◽  
History Of ◽  
David Wiggins

How should we look back on the history and the origins of our ethical outlook and our way of life? We know that in the past, strange and appalling ethical views and practices have enjoyed widespread and sincere support. Yet we do not regard our contemporary outlook – to the extent that we do, at the present, have a common outlook – as one option among many. However bemused we may feel in ethical matters, at least on some issues we claim to have reasons that are good (enough). If we do not object to the use of the predicate ‘true’ in ethics, we may say that we are confronted with the (ethical) truth of an outlook. Or, to echo a provocative expression of David Wiggins, we claim that ‘there is nothing else to think’.

How a critical Humean naturalism is possible: Contesting the Neo-Aristotelian reading

2020 ◽  
pp. 019145372094841
Author(s):  
Martin Hartmann
Keyword(s):  
David Hume ◽  
John Mcdowell ◽  
Philippa Foot ◽  
David Wiggins

Ethical naturalists such as Philippa Foot, John McDowell or Sabina Lovibond have critically distinguished their version of naturalism from the version ascribed to David Hume. This article defends Hume’s naturalism against this criticism in constructing a more plausible version of it. The article briefly delineates John McDowell’s reading of Hume in his well-known ‘Two Sorts of Naturalism’. Based on Nietzsche, the article then offers the concept of ‘historical naturalism’ as alternative to McDowell’s reading, concentrating in particular on the charge of Hume’s naturalism being narrowly empiricistic. The concept of historical naturalism will be contrasted with David Wiggins’ Humean variant of vindicatory naturalism. In conclusion, Annette Baier’s suggestion of reconstructing Hume’s naturalism as critical is taken up and elaborated upon. While the spirit of Baier’s approach is adopted, its application to the problem of deeply entrenched sexism will be treated as overly optimistic.

Under Moore's Spell

Utilitas ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 286-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Darwall
Keyword(s):  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Prima Facie ◽  
David Wiggins

As David Wiggins points out, although Ross is best known for opposing Moore's consequentialism, Ross comes very close to capitulation to Moore when he accepts, as required by beneficence, a prima facie duty to maximize the good. I argue that what lies behind this is Ross's acceptance of Moore's doctrine of agent-neutral intrinsic value, a notion that is not required by, but is indeed is in tension with, beneficence as doing good to or for others.

scholarly journals David Wiggins, Sameness and Substance

1981 ◽  
Vol 13 (37) ◽  
pp. 87-92
Author(s):  
Enrique Villanueva
Keyword(s):  
David Wiggins

Resumen

Natural Kinds and Unnatural Persons

Philosophy ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 54 (210) ◽  
pp. 541-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Kitcher
Keyword(s):  
Natural Kind ◽  
Natural Kinds ◽  
General Assumption ◽  
Natural Kind Term ◽  
Stream Of Consciousness ◽  
David Wiggins ◽  
Basic Position

Most people believe that extraterrestrial beings or porpoises or computers could someday be recognized as persons. Given the significant constitutional differences between these entities and ourselves, the general assumption appears to be that ‘person’ is not a natural kind term. David Wiggins offers an illuminating challenge to this popular dogma in ‘Locke, Butler and the Stream of Consciousness: and Men as a Natural Kind’. Wiggins does not claim that ‘person’ actually is a natural kind term; but he argues hard for the advantages of regarding it as something like a natural kind classification. The problem is that, whatever its merits, there are obvious and fatal objections to the view that person is a natural kind. My aim is to present a modification of the natural kind thesis which avoids these objections and retains the attractions of the basic position.

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