Christian Illies
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198238324
- eISBN:
- 9780191679612
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198238324.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
Transcendental arguments have gained a lot of attention over the past twenty years, mainly in the field of theoretical reason. Yet few scholars have looked at their relevance to practical reason. ...
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Transcendental arguments have gained a lot of attention over the past twenty years, mainly in the field of theoretical reason. Yet few scholars have looked at their relevance to practical reason. This book argues that although this methodological avenue is not yet well-paved, transcendental arguments have great potential in ethics, as they promise rational justification of normative judgements. There are two main types of transcendental argument that have been developed for this purpose in recent years. One is based on an analysis of the implications of agency (mainly by Alan Gewirth), the other on an analysis of reason as a discursive process with normative presuppositions (Karl-Otto Apel and other continental philosophers, but also Onora O'Neill). This book finds that these arguments have severe limitations, and argues that practical reason should involve a different analysis: judgement formation must be analysed as a form of agency. Once this starting point is secured, by showing that it cannot rationally be denied, then two things can be transcendentally inferred: first, that there exists a categorical demand upon agents to arrive at true judgements, and second, that we must respect freedom of agency in general. Here our ordinary notions of right and wrong find secure ground.Less
Transcendental arguments have gained a lot of attention over the past twenty years, mainly in the field of theoretical reason. Yet few scholars have looked at their relevance to practical reason. This book argues that although this methodological avenue is not yet well-paved, transcendental arguments have great potential in ethics, as they promise rational justification of normative judgements. There are two main types of transcendental argument that have been developed for this purpose in recent years. One is based on an analysis of the implications of agency (mainly by Alan Gewirth), the other on an analysis of reason as a discursive process with normative presuppositions (Karl-Otto Apel and other continental philosophers, but also Onora O'Neill). This book finds that these arguments have severe limitations, and argues that practical reason should involve a different analysis: judgement formation must be analysed as a form of agency. Once this starting point is secured, by showing that it cannot rationally be denied, then two things can be transcendentally inferred: first, that there exists a categorical demand upon agents to arrive at true judgements, and second, that we must respect freedom of agency in general. Here our ordinary notions of right and wrong find secure ground.
Michael Zürn
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- April 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780198819974
- eISBN:
- 9780191860133
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198819974.003.0010
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter considers the development of a better global governance system, investigating the empirical viability and plausibility of four models of global order with cosmopolitan intent. Each of ...
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This chapter considers the development of a better global governance system, investigating the empirical viability and plausibility of four models of global order with cosmopolitan intent. Each of the four models of global order is discussed in order to identify the normative ideas and empirical premises built into each. On this basis, an empirical assessment of the feasibility of various normative theories is carried out by introducing the concept of contributory trends or door-opening dynamics. These trends may empower a model of global order in a critical juncture. In this way, the notion of contributory trends serves as a bridge between empirical observations and prescriptive ideas about global order and allows for a comparative assessment of the four models. The model of cosmopolitan pluralism turns out to be the most promising one when judging on the basis of contributory trends.Less
This chapter considers the development of a better global governance system, investigating the empirical viability and plausibility of four models of global order with cosmopolitan intent. Each of the four models of global order is discussed in order to identify the normative ideas and empirical premises built into each. On this basis, an empirical assessment of the feasibility of various normative theories is carried out by introducing the concept of contributory trends or door-opening dynamics. These trends may empower a model of global order in a critical juncture. In this way, the notion of contributory trends serves as a bridge between empirical observations and prescriptive ideas about global order and allows for a comparative assessment of the four models. The model of cosmopolitan pluralism turns out to be the most promising one when judging on the basis of contributory trends.
