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Enhancing Moral Conformity and Enhancing Moral Worth.

Thomas Douglas1

  • 1Balliol College, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BJ UK ; Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Improving moral conformity through direct interventions may seem appealing, but this study argues such methods do not enhance moral worth. Traditional deliberative approaches remain superior for deeper moral improvement.

Keywords:
KantMoral enhancementMoral improvementMoral worthNeuroenhancement

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Area of Science:

  • Moral Philosophy
  • Ethics
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Individuals may have moral reasons to improve their conformity to moral principles.
  • Debate exists on the best methods for achieving greater moral conformity.
  • John Harris advocates for traditional, deliberative means over direct affective/conative interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate whether direct interventions for moral conformity are less conducive to moral worth than deliberative means.
  • To assess arguments suggesting direct interventions yield only superficial moral improvement.
  • To examine Kantian-inspired arguments regarding moral worth and direct versus deliberative interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical analysis of moral worth and conformity.
  • Critical assessment of three Kantian-inspired arguments.
  • Evaluation of John Harris's position on moral improvement methods.

Main Results:

  • The study argues that direct interventions, even if effective in increasing moral conformity, do not necessarily lead to greater moral worth.
  • Kantian-inspired arguments attempting to differentiate the moral worth of direct versus deliberative means were found to be unconvincing.
  • The concern that direct means produce only superficial moral improvement is not substantiated by the analyzed arguments.

Conclusions:

  • Current philosophical arguments fail to demonstrate that direct interventions diminish moral worth compared to deliberative means.
  • The distinction between superficial and deeper moral improvement, as related to direct interventions, requires further philosophical exploration.
  • The effectiveness of direct interventions in enhancing moral conformity warrants consideration, independent of concerns about moral worth.