PHL373H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Cora Diamond
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
1
PHL373 Lecture 9
Cora Diamond
- Thesis: All Equal Consideration Strategies (Regan, Singer, Rowlands) are bad
arguments.
- Theoretical argument: To reach the truth
• e.g. Joe’s fingerprints are on the murder weapon, therefore Joe murdered sally.
- Here the premises lead to the conclusion!
- Practical argument: To motivate action.
• e.g. Kicking her will cause her pain therefore I will not kick her.
- The fact that kicking her will cause her pain counts towards not kicking her.
- The difference between theoretical and practical is namely that their goals are
different.
- What is missing from Theoretical argument above is a premise that states something
like: If p makes more likely, then you ought to increase confidence in q.
- You can’t think of inference rules as a part of the argument themselves, they are what
is carried about by the believers. Theoretical arguments don't include what you
ought to believe, they are meant to be given to people who are already rational
believers who are looking for the truth. What you ought to believe shouldn't be the
subject of the theoretical argument itself.
- The form of the arguments we have been considering for and agents vegetarianism
are practical arguments, that dictate action; i.e. you ought not eat meat.
- Diamond is arguing that Singer and Regan are giving theoretical arguments and NOT
practical arguments. People are not going to be motivated to become vegetarians
through theoretical arguments.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Thesis: all equal consideration strategies (regan, singer, rowlands) are bad arguments. Theoretical argument: to reach the truth: e. g. joe"s fingerprints are on the murder weapon, therefore joe murdered sally. Here the premises lead to the conclusion! Practical argument: to motivate action: e. g. kicking her will cause her pain therefore i will not kick her. The fact that kicking her will cause her pain counts towards not kicking her. The difference between theoretical and practical is namely that their goals are different. What is missing from theoretical argument above is a premise that states something like: if p makes more likely, then you ought to increase confidence in q. You can"t think of inference rules as a part of the argument themselves, they are what is carried about by the believers. Theoretical arguments don"t include what you (cid:1688)ought(cid:1689) to believe, they are meant to be given to people who are already rational believers who are looking for the truth.
