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What is Conventionalism about Moral Rights and Duties?

Title:

What is Conventionalism about Moral Rights and Duties?

Nieswandt, Katharina (2018) What is Conventionalism about Moral Rights and Duties? Australasian Journal of Philosophy . pp. 1-14.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org//10.1080/00048402.2018.1425306

Abstract

A powerful objection against moral conventionalism says that it gives the wrong reasons for individual rights and duties. The reason why I must not break my promise to you, for example, should lie in the damage to you—rather than to the practice of promising or to all other participants in that practice. Common targets of this objection include the theories of Hobbes, Gauthier, Hooker, Binmore, and Rawls.

I argue that (1) the conventionalism of these theories is superficial; (2) genuinely conventionalist theories are not vulnerable to the objection; and (3) genuine moral conventionalism is independently plausible.

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > Philosophy
Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Authors:Nieswandt, Katharina
Journal or Publication:Australasian Journal of Philosophy
Date:28 January 2018
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):10.1080/00048402.2018.1425306
Keywords:practice view, promises, rule-consequentialism, contractarianism, John Rawls, G.E.M. Anscombe
ID Code:983471
Deposited By: KATHARINA NIESWANDT
Deposited On:05 Feb 2018 14:01
Last Modified:05 Feb 2018 14:01

References:

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