Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Moral theories are unjustified — Carmelics
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Skepticism
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    Moral theories are unjustified

    SkepticismTruth & Knowledge
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • Moral theories cannot be tested and confirmed in the way that scientific theories can
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Coherentist justification—where beliefs mutually support each other—is a legitimate epistemic standard, not merely scientific confirmation.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Moral theories like Rawls's reflective equilibrium achieve justification by systematically reconciling moral intuitions and principles.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.A theory of justification that rules out reflective equilibrium by fiat privileges one epistemic standard without independent argument.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Scientific theories themselves rely on non-empirical justificatory resources, including mathematical axioms and inference-to-the-best-explanation.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If moral theories are unjustified because they lack experimental testability, then logic and mathematics are equally unjustified by the same criterion.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.Any argument that proves too much by condemning all non-empirical disciplines reductio ad absurdum undermines its own premise.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Sign in or register to share your perspective on this statement.

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.

    Topics

    SkepticismTruth & Knowledge

    Related

    A theory of justification that rules out reflective equilibrium by fiat privileg...Any argument that proves too much by condemning all non-empirical disciplines re...Coherentist justification—where beliefs mutually support each other—is a legitim...If moral theories are unjustified because they lack experimental testability, th...
    +3 moreShow less
    Moral theories cannot be tested and confirmed in the way that scientific theorie...Moral theories like Rawls's reflective equilibrium achieve justification by syst...Scientific theories themselves rely on non-empirical justificatory resources, in...

    Similar

    Teleological theories are not, strictly speaking, theories about value...80%[P1] is unjustified79%Moral theories cannot be tested and confirmed in the way that scientif...79%Dynamical theories determine their own logic of possible propositions,...78%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: intuition
    View source passageHide passage
    Gilbert Harman (1977) suggests that moral theories are unjustified because they cannot be tested and confirmed in the way that scientific theories can. While he admits that we may “test” general moral principles against our intuitions regarding particular actual and hypothetical situations, he argues that we are not thereby testing our moral theories or principles against the world. Instead, we are merely testing them against our “moral sensibility” or against our tacitly held moral views.
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit