Evolutionary debunking arguments and the explanatory scope of natural selection

Joeri Witteveen

doi:10.1007/s11229-019-02446-9

Evolutionary debunking arguments and the explanatory scope of natural selection

Abstract

An influential species of evolutionary debunking argument (EDA) against moral realism holds that since cumulative natural selection (likely) shaped the contents of our moral beliefs, those beliefs do not count as knowledge. Critics have taken issue with a range of empirical, epistemic, and metaphysical assumptions that EDAs are said to rely on, which has engendered a complex debate over whether and to what extent the debunking challenge succeeds. However, recently it has been argued that we can reject EDAs without having to enter this thicket of issues. EDAs supposedly fail at the outset, by trading on a glaring misunderstanding about the scope of natural selection explanations. I argue that this objection to EDAs fails, and itself rests on a mistaken view of natural selection explanation and its relation to justification.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Synthese
ISSN	0039-7857
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-019-02446-9
Status	Udgivet - jul. 2021

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1007/s11229-019-02446-9

Citationsformater

@article{dc5abf39922f4d6d8c6e679991415a3b,

title = "Evolutionary debunking arguments and the explanatory scope of natural selection",

abstract = "An influential species of evolutionary debunking argument (EDA) against moral realism holds that since cumulative natural selection (likely) shaped the contents of our moral beliefs, those beliefs do not count as knowledge. Critics have taken issue with a range of empirical, epistemic, and metaphysical assumptions that EDAs are said to rely on, which has engendered a complex debate over whether and to what extent the debunking challenge succeeds. However, recently it has been argued that we can reject EDAs without having to enter this thicket of issues. EDAs supposedly fail at the outset, by trading on a glaring misunderstanding about the scope of natural selection explanations. I argue that this objection to EDAs fails, and itself rests on a mistaken view of natural selection explanation and its relation to justification.",

keywords = "Evolutionary debunking arguments, Natural selection explanation, Negative view, Origin essentialism, Moral realism, Evolution of morality",

author = "Joeri Witteveen",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1007/s11229-019-02446-9",

language = "English",

journal = "Synthese",

issn = "0039-7857",

publisher = "Springer",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evolutionary debunking arguments and the explanatory scope of natural selection

AU - Witteveen, Joeri

PY - 2021/7

Y1 - 2021/7

N2 - An influential species of evolutionary debunking argument (EDA) against moral realism holds that since cumulative natural selection (likely) shaped the contents of our moral beliefs, those beliefs do not count as knowledge. Critics have taken issue with a range of empirical, epistemic, and metaphysical assumptions that EDAs are said to rely on, which has engendered a complex debate over whether and to what extent the debunking challenge succeeds. However, recently it has been argued that we can reject EDAs without having to enter this thicket of issues. EDAs supposedly fail at the outset, by trading on a glaring misunderstanding about the scope of natural selection explanations. I argue that this objection to EDAs fails, and itself rests on a mistaken view of natural selection explanation and its relation to justification.

AB - An influential species of evolutionary debunking argument (EDA) against moral realism holds that since cumulative natural selection (likely) shaped the contents of our moral beliefs, those beliefs do not count as knowledge. Critics have taken issue with a range of empirical, epistemic, and metaphysical assumptions that EDAs are said to rely on, which has engendered a complex debate over whether and to what extent the debunking challenge succeeds. However, recently it has been argued that we can reject EDAs without having to enter this thicket of issues. EDAs supposedly fail at the outset, by trading on a glaring misunderstanding about the scope of natural selection explanations. I argue that this objection to EDAs fails, and itself rests on a mistaken view of natural selection explanation and its relation to justification.

KW - Evolutionary debunking arguments

KW - Natural selection explanation

KW - Negative view

KW - Origin essentialism

KW - Moral realism

KW - Evolution of morality

U2 - 10.1007/s11229-019-02446-9

DO - 10.1007/s11229-019-02446-9

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0039-7857

JO - Synthese

JF - Synthese

ER -

Evolutionary debunking arguments and the explanatory scope of natural selection

Abstract

Adgang til dokumentet

Fingeraftryk

Citationsformater