b. 1950
Peter Railton (born 1950) is an American philosopher at the University of Michigan best known for his work in metaethics and moral epistemology. He is a leading proponent of naturalistic moral realism, arguing that moral facts are reducible to natural facts about what would promote well-being under idealized conditions. His 1986 paper 'Moral Realism' is a landmark contribution to contemporary metaethics.
Developed a rigorous account of naturalistic moral realism grounding moral properties in natural facts
Defended sophisticated consequentialism, distinguishing between a criterion of rightness and a decision procedure
Contributed to philosophy of science, particularly on scientific explanation and the nature of laws
Authored the influential paper 'Moral Realism' (1986), shaping decades of metaethical debate
Worked on the relationship between practical reason, desire, and objective value