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Controversial views and moral realism.

Henrik Rydenfelt1

  • 1University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. henrik.rydenfelt@gmail.com.

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|March 3, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Moral realism explains controversial bioethics debates, unlike expressivism or anti-realism. Embracing fallibilism suggests these debates offer valuable opportunities for scientific inquiry and evidence gathering.

Keywords:
Anti-realismControversyExpressivismFallibilismHumorMoral realismPragmatism

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Area of Science:

  • Theoretical Medicine
  • Bioethics
  • Meta-ethics
  • Philosophy of Science

Background:

  • Controversial views in theoretical medicine and bioethics are prevalent.
  • Existing meta-ethical theories like expressivism and anti-realism fail to adequately explain these controversies.
  • The assumption of moral realism is posited as a key factor in generating debate.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explain the emergence of controversial views in theoretical medicine and bioethics.
  • To evaluate the explanatory power of moral realism, expressivism, and anti-realism regarding bioethical debates.
  • To propose a fallibilist perspective on the epistemic function of controversial positions in bioethics.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical argumentation drawing on meta-ethics and philosophy of pragmatism.
  • Analysis of contemporary expressivist/anti-representationalist pragmatism (Rorty, Price).
  • Incorporation of pragmatist scientific realism and fallibilism (Peirce).

Main Results:

  • Moral realism provides a better explanation for controversies in bioethics than expressivism or anti-realism.
  • Controversial positions, viewed through a fallibilist lens, can serve epistemic purposes.
  • These debates highlight problems and stimulate the presentation of supporting and opposing arguments and evidence.

Conclusions:

  • The assumption of moral realism is central to understanding the contentious nature of bioethical discussions.
  • A fallibilist approach, informed by pragmatism, suggests that controversy in bioethics is epistemically valuable.
  • Controversial bioethical debates can drive inquiry by identifying areas needing further research and evidence.