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A defense of the common morality.
1Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal
|October 28, 2003
Summary
This study argues that while some moral norms are universal, others are relative to specific moral frameworks. It defends universal moral standards by examining their objectives and justification.
Area of Science:
- Ethics
- Moral Philosophy
- Meta-ethics
Background:
- Moral disagreement leads to debates on universal versus relative moral truths.
- The author's prior work on common morality has faced criticism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address criticisms regarding the universality of moral norms.
- To propose a framework distinguishing universal common morality from non-universal particular moralities.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of moral objectives.
- Account of norms achieving moral objectives.
- Normative justification theories (pragmatic and coherentist).
Main Results:
- It is possible to consistently hold that some moral norms are universal while others are relative.
- Universality is situated within a common morality, distinct from non-universal particular moralities.
Conclusions:
- Defends the existence of universal moral standards.
- Integrates theories of morality's objectives and justification to support universal norms.