Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements
This paper applies the theory of teleosemantics to the issue of moral content. Two versions of teleosemantics are distinguished: input-based and output-based. It is argued that applying either to the case of moral judgements generates the conclusion that such judgements have both descriptive (belief...
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| Format: | Article |
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Springer
2012
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/1608/ |
| _version_ | 1848790637619445760 |
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| author | Sinclair, Neil |
| author_facet | Sinclair, Neil |
| author_sort | Sinclair, Neil |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This paper applies the theory of teleosemantics to the issue of moral content. Two versions of teleosemantics are distinguished: input-based and output-based. It is argued that applying either to the case of moral judgements generates the conclusion that such judgements have both descriptive (belief-like) and directive (desire-like) content, intimately entwined. This conclusion directly validates neither descriptivism nor expressivism, but the application of teleosemantics to moral content does leave the descriptivist with explanatory challenges which the expressivist does not face. Since teleosemantics ties content to function, the paper also offers an account of the evolutionary function of moral judgements. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:15:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-1608 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:15:47Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Springer |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-16082020-05-04T16:33:00Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/1608/ Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements Sinclair, Neil This paper applies the theory of teleosemantics to the issue of moral content. Two versions of teleosemantics are distinguished: input-based and output-based. It is argued that applying either to the case of moral judgements generates the conclusion that such judgements have both descriptive (belief-like) and directive (desire-like) content, intimately entwined. This conclusion directly validates neither descriptivism nor expressivism, but the application of teleosemantics to moral content does leave the descriptivist with explanatory challenges which the expressivist does not face. Since teleosemantics ties content to function, the paper also offers an account of the evolutionary function of moral judgements. Springer 2012-04-03 Article PeerReviewed Sinclair, Neil (2012) Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements. Biology and Philosophy . ISSN 0169-3867 http://www.springerlink.com/content/f5600uu426458r50/ 10.1007/s10539-012-9316-4 10.1007/s10539-012-9316-4 10.1007/s10539-012-9316-4 |
| spellingShingle | Sinclair, Neil Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements |
| title | Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements |
| title_full | Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements |
| title_fullStr | Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements |
| title_short | Metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements |
| title_sort | metaethics, teleosemantics and the function of moral judgements |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/1608/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/1608/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/1608/ |