Notes � Tasioulas, revision class, virtue ethics

Greg Detre

22 February 2002

Dr Tasioulas

Reading list

Foot, Natural Goodness

Random reading list

Foot, 'Virtues and vices' in Virtues and vices, or ch 1 - 170 Fo

Crisp, 'How should one live?' - 179.9 Cr

Blackburn, 'Spreading the word' - 401 Bl

 

Tutorial

Sosa�s long article (Tas doesn't like it)in Lighter � Pathetic ethics goes through McDowell + Wiggins

Foot�s fave philosophers � Aristotle + Wittgenstein

neither of them saw philosophy as �visionary� (Strawson)

just providing a framework within which discussion should take place

but there�s not substantive list of virtues

working out that list is not a philosophical task � she�d be in no better position than say an enlightened religious leader

 

evolution pg 32 in Natural Goodness

 

Tas thinks she�s avoiding species-relativism???

 

will we come up with an objective list/converge within the framework???

she doesn't address that

 

Williams (last ch of EatLoP) agrees that sometimes self-interest trumps obligation

 

to what extent must well-being connect up with the subjective, e.g. do you have to say that you�re happy?

 

Williams � (ch 3?) any conception of human nature is going to underdetermine morality-virtues � first nature/natural science doesn't connect with morality

McDowell � focus on 2nd nature (as rational beings, found in culture/traditions)

danger � lapse into relativism

 

Festschrift for Williams � World, mind + ethics

paper by Nussbaum + response by Williams

 

non-relative virtues � Nussbaum in Sex + Social Justice

all virtues are situated in universal spheres � all forms of human life involve risk/danger, scarcity etc.

 

war-making as Aristotle necessity (Hegel)

Foot doesn't mention combat within species, only co-operation

 

Questions

read the Postscript

seduce them with the ethical birth-rod(???)

�space of reasons� � McDowell, borrowed from Sellars

how do reasons have differing strengths???

some reasons silence other reasons