Propositions,Numbers, And The Problem Of Arbitrary Identification

Those inclined to believe in the existence of propositions as traditionally conceived might seek to reduce them to some other type of entity. However, parsimonious propositionalists of this type are confronted with a choice of competing candidates – for example, sets of possible worlds, and various neo-Russellian and neo-Fregean constructions. It is argued that this choice is an arbitrary one, and that it closely resembles the type of problematic choice that, as Benacerraf pointed out, bedevils the attempt to reduce numbers to sets – should the number 2 be identified with the set Ø or with the set Ø, Ø? An “argument from arbitrary identification” is formulated with the conclusion that propositions (and perhaps numbers) cannot be reduced away. Various responses to this argument are considered, but ultimately rejected. The paper concludes that the argument is sound: propositions, at least, are sui generis entities.

     

构建社会主义和谐社会中的道德建设新指向

构建社会主义和谐社会的命题,要求实现道德建设"由圣入凡"的转变.这种转变的新指向是:以日常生活批判实现从传统道德向现代道德的转化,把以人为本与现代性"平民化人格"联系起来,以生态和谐观念寻求公德与私德的统一.     

梁启超的“新民”伦理与普世伦理

"新民"伦理是一种资产阶级伦理。梁启超吸取西方资产阶级伦理的个人主义伦理观与中国传统伦理的整体主义伦理观,创建了中国资产阶级的"新民"伦理。梁启超的"新民"伦理虽然吸取了资产阶级个人主义伦理观,但与立足于个人主义道德原则基础上的西方资产阶级伦理有着不同的价值取向,它是立足于中国传统整体主义伦理基础之上、注重个人与个人、个人与社会、个人与国家和谐的中国式的新资产阶级新伦理,具有普世的伦理价值。     

Toward a New Concept of Global Morality

The human community faces today the most serious challenges ever to have confronted the planet in the areas of health, environment, and security. Science and technology are essential for responding to these challenges. More is needed, however, because science is not equipped to deal adequately with the values dimensions and the political issues that accompany the challenges. For an adequate response, there must be cooperative effort by scientists and statespersons, informed for moral leadership by the religious wisdom that is available. The religious communities can provide this spiritual dimension, thereby fulfilling their traditional role, but it will require their coming to terms with the character of the scientific and technological base of contemporary culture. The paper lays the conceptual groundwork for understanding these issues.     

The Necklace of Numbers

The necklace of numbers is a symbol that came in one of my dreams at the end of 2006, at the time when I was about to leave France, my native country, and come to the United States. As I was going through the process of becoming an American citizen, I felt compelled to reconnect to my French roots. The result was this personal account which tells the most important dreams that led me to this country. It is also a tale of a mid-life transformation, a tale of an immigrant viewed from inside, and a tale of individuation by following the path of love.     

The Morality of Nationalism

Book Information The Morality of Nationalism. Edited by R. McKim and J. McMahan. Oxford University Press. New York. 1997. Pp. xii + 371. Paperback, $42.95.     

The Biology of Morality

Abstract. The morality of human beings, defined here as our ability to determine whether our actions are right or wrong, depends not just on following rules but also on understanding the impact of our actions on another person. How we understand the impact of our actions on another person depends on our state of consciousness, which is mediated by our brain and nervous system. We describe how we understand our morality to flow naturally from the biological state we are living in and how we see our biology and our morality as mutually interactive. A change in one changes the other. Another way of saying this is that changing either our morality or our biology changes both—changes who we are and what we do.     

The Morality of Terrorism

In this paper (a sequel to ‘What Is Terrorism?’, Journal of Applied Philosophy, vol. 7 [ 1990]) I discuss both consequentialist and deontological justifications of terrorism. In the consequentialist context, I look in particular into Leon Trotsky’s classic defence of the ‘red terror’, based on the argument of continuity of war, revolution, and terrorism, and the claim that the distinction between the guilty and the innocent, combatants and noncombatants, is not relevant to modern warfare. On the deontological side, I discuss Virginia Held’s recent attempt at justifying terrorism in terms of basic human rights and distributive justice. The conclusion reached is that terrorism remains almost absolutely morally impermissible.     

The Morality of Daycare

An increasing number of parents are electing to use daycare to assist them with their parenting from infancy onward. Strikingly, there is scant discussion of whether or not such a practice is morally permissible. In this paper, I shall discuss three different arguments that I believe are implicitly thought to support the use of daycare. I shall argue that the current widespread use of daycare, particularly with respect to infant children, often involves arbitrarily subjugating the needs of children in favor of the desires of parents, and thus is often morally wrong. Finally, I consider a possible fourth argument; one that I believe stands a better chance of justifying the use of daycare, though in the final analysis I argue that it also fails to justify the current widespread use of daycare.     

The Morality of Influencing in Counseling

It is the author's intention to help counselors think through the various ways in which they influence their clients and assess the morality of various alternative counseling decisions. The task is a complex one because of the widely varied counseling situations. To consider a wide variety of contexts simultaneously, the author formulates a matrix of influencing that is used to generate a series of questions that have moral significance in counseling contexts. Each question is given extensive discussion. Alternative answers and their moral implications are considered. Examples are used throughout to clarify moral problems and the moral implications of counseling decisions.     

The Morality of Feminism

Inaugural lecture as Professor of Women's Studies in the Social Science Faculty at the University of Utrecht.     

The Morality of Motorcycling

Abstract

Personal motor vehicle use is a common, yet dangerous, practice. While using a motor vehicle one poses himself and others to risk. If it is immoral to pose unnecessary risk to others, it is immoral to drive a car when an alternative is readily available. In this paper I claim that there is a morally better, readily available, alternative to driving a car alone: using a motorcycle. While this claim might sound dubious at first, I will show why it is sound and stands against all kinds of objections. I believe most people should switch from cars to motorcycles as their primary means of transportation, and governments should adopt policies to help people make this switch.     

建设社会主义新农村进程中的农民道德问题

建设社会主义新农村,是当前我党提出的重要战略任务.农民道德建设是社会主义新农村建设的重要内容.加强农民道德建设,一是要明确农民道德建设重大的现实意义和深远的历史意义;二是应了解农民的道德现状,为构建农民道德建设体系奠定实践基础;三是构建农民道德体系需要农民自身、在农村工作的党员和干部、社会各界人士、政府等各方力量共同努力.     

具身道德:道德心理学研究的新取向

具身道德是指身体及其活动方式与道德心理和行为的相互作用。迄今为止, 具身道德研究主要采用道德Stroop范式、内隐联想测验范式、情境操纵范式和心境诱发范式。具身道德的研究内容主要包括身体解剖学结构、知觉经验及身体与环境的嵌入作用与道德心理及行为的相互作用, 且在广泛的知觉经验内容中包涵了身体厌恶与道德的关系、自我洁净-道德纯洁隐喻、道德-明度隐喻、道德-颜色隐喻、道德的空间维度与时间维度等多个内容。未来的研究需从研究内容的丰富性与全面性、隐喻效应的文化差异与一致性效应、研究方法技术的科学性与多样性等几个方面着手。