Moral claims not only assume to be true, but they also guide our choices. This fascinating book presents a new theory of normative judgment, the “standard-based theory,” which offers a schematic account of the truth conditions of normative propositions of all kinds, including moral propositions and propositions about reasons. Here, David Copp argues that because any society needs a social moral code in order to enable its members to live together successfully, and because it would be rational for a society to choose such a system, certain moral codes–and the standards they include–are justified. In this work, Copp raises a number of important issues in moral theory, as well as in metaphysics and the philosophy of language.
Morality, Normativity, and Society
Moral claims not only assume to be true, but they also guide our choices. This fascinating book presents a new theory of normative judgment, the “standard-based theory,” which offers a schematic account of the truth conditions of normative propositions of all kinds, including moral propositions and propositions about reasons. Here, David Copp argues that because any society needs a social moral code in order to enable its members to live together successfully, and because it would be rational for a society to choose such a system, certain moral codes–and the standards they include–are justified. In this work, Copp raises a number of important issues in moral theory, as well as in metaphysics and the philosophy of language.