I shall open with an analysis of humes moral theory since it offers the backdrop for mackies moral errortheory. The thesis aims to recover humes connection with utilitarianism. This, at least, is a better explanation than the hypothesis that there is a realm of objective moral facts to which some cultures have inferior epistemic access than others. Hume is not setting forth a normative doctrine but is instead examining moral attitudes, sentiments, and beliefs from an empirical standpoint. He is perhaps best known for his views on metaethics, especially his defence of moral skepticism.
Mackie further discusses a number of features of these two arguments in hume s moral theory boston. The exposition on hume shall be followed by an outline of j. However, most of hume s readers have not fully appreciated how closely hume s analysis of convention foreshadows a particular branch of economic theory, namely, game theory. Humes moral theory international library of philosophy kindle edition by mackie, j.
John leslie mackie fba 25 august 191712 december 1981 was an australian philosopher. Second, humes anatomistpainter distinction does not divide the factual from the normative. Hume on the cultivation of moral character springerlink. The sources of normativity in humes moral theory a. Moral philosophy internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Humes philosophy of the self this book is excellent. Starting with the work of barry 1965, runciman and sen 1965 and lewis 1969, there. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading hume s moral theory international library of philosophy. There are a number of fine books on humes moral theory but mackies stands as one of the very best. In the latter work, mackie explicitly endorses a posthumean skepticism regarding any moral argument in favor of a subjectivistic or senti. Describing the empirical nature of humes moral enquiry, mackie says of the treatise that. Humes importance as a forerunner of modern economics has also long been recognized. Mackie s classic text examines this debate and provides an excellent introduction to some of the main problems of moral philosophy. At the close of the treatise, hume describes himself.
Hume s moral theory was the most important contribution to the sustained debate among the british moralists of the 17th and 18th centuries. His moral theory undoubtedly made an impact on smiths theory of moral sentiments 1759, while his theory of the understanding provided thomas reid with his principal foil in inquiry into the human mind, on the principles of common sense 1764. Mackie proceeds to discuss hume s own moral theory. Hume s moral theory international library of philosophy kindle edition by mackie, j. This essay is an attempt primarily to get clear on the important differences. Mackies classic text examines this debate and provides an excellent introduction to some of the main problems of moral philosophy. Mackie manages to combine wonderfully an engaged and sympathetic reading of hume with a sophisticated appreciation of the difficulties facine any humean account of morality. John leslie mackie was an australian philosopher, originally from sydney. Humes moral theory international library of philosophy pdf. I argue that the outcome of a fully formed moral character is an agent who strengthens her calm moral sentiments into settled principles of action. The central theme of mackies work is that humes moral theory.
So it helps to determine his position on the debate over cognitivism. A new interpretation of mackies error theory diva portal. There are a number of fine books on humes moral theory, but mackies stands as one of the very best. Hi s t o r y o f ph i l o s o p h y qua r t e r ly volume 27, number 3, july 2010 255 humes theory of moral imagination mark collier david hume endorses three statements that are difficult to reconcile. Moreover, a theory of human rights has to define clearly what it means by human rights, in what. Pdf the common humean origin of theories of convention is often taken for granted by philosophers. Buy humes moral theory international library of philosophy 1 by mackie, j. I then take up the question of how the process of strengthening moral. In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content 184. Humes moral theory contains an ambiguity due to his conception of sympathy, which has led to some. Humes moral theory by john leslie mackie goodreads. The hume literature for 1980 the hume literature from 1925 to 1976 has been thoroughly covered in my book fifty years of hume scholarship. However, most of humes readers have not fully appreciated how closely humes analysis of convention foreshadows a particular branch of economic theory, namely, game theory.
Humes position in ethics, which is based on his empiricist theory of the mind, is best. Mackies argument in support of the moral errortheory. Second, hume s anatomistpainter distinction does not divide the factual from the normative. Humes moral theory international library of philosophy ebook. Mackie explains humes primary overall moral project in what i found to be a very clear and concise way. The social contract theory humes main claims in of the original contract. Humes view can only be had by the perfect judicious spectator. Richard garner 2007 ethical theory and moral practice 10 5. To group humes ideas into one system of moral philosophy i. Hume is a naturalist in many different respects and about many different topics. This paper attempts to give a complete and coherent account of how humes moral psychology can explain the cultivation of moral character. This must be why mackie construes moral scepticism j.
However, he has also made significant contributions to philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and philosophy of language. Humes moral philosophy stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Kant based his moral theory on reason and thus the categorical imperative act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law hume on the other hand based his moral theory on emotion or subjective response to action. The aim of this study is to examine humes moral theory as expressed in his two main books, treatise and enquiry and to show the defects of this theory. The title of this chapter is contentious, for it is not clear that hume had systematic views concerning right and wrong actions. Humes account should appeal to contemporary researchers, therefore, who are interested in the nature of moral imagination. Mackie argues that the best explanation of these phenomena is that moral judgments reflect adherence to and participation in different ways of life 1977. Humes moral theory international library of philosophy j. Give an account of humes theory of knowledge and his moral philosophy.
Geoffrey sayremccord, university of north carolina. Jan 11, 2008 summary this chapter contains section titled. Geoffrey sayremccord, university of north carolina, chapel hill read. Humes moral theory was the most important contribution to the sustained debate among the british moralists of the 17th and 18th centuries. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Nowadays the view that hume is one of the founders of modern utilitarianism is undermined by two views. Humes moral theory international library of philosophy routledge. Consequently, it is claimed that humes moral theory has a heterogeneous structure so it is difficult to understand his moral theory. However, following locke, he claims that the truest teachers of moral philosophy are the outlaws and thieves who keep faith and rules of justice. We cannot assume we will be able to achieve this objective position every time judging the subject with the imagination to understand how they would act under normal circumstances. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading humes moral theory international library of.
A bibliographical guide edinburgh university press, 1978. The second part is a thesis about moral discourse,about what happens when someone makes a moral judgment. It is argued that hume is best interpreted as a conservative utilitarian, and this is intended to be a corrective to recent approaches in hume scholarship. Certainly he does not make such views fully explicit, and problems relating to. There are a number of fine books on hume s moral theory, but mackie s stands as one of the very best. He made significant contributions to the philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and the philosophy of language, and is perhaps best known for his views on metaethics, especially his defence of moral scepticism.
Beginning with a treatise of human nature 173940, hume strove to create a naturalistic. Hume s theory of ethics has been influential in modernday metaethical theory, helping to inspire emotivism, and ethical expressivism and noncognitivism, failed verification as well as allan gibbard s general theory of moral judgment and judgments of rationality. Humes ethical theory continues to be relevant for contemporary philosophers and psychologists. Buy hume s moral theory international library of philosophy 1 by mackie, j. History of ethical philosophy 201617 6 treatise book 3 part 1 of virtue and vice in general treatise book 3 part 3 section 1 of the origin of the natural virtues and vices enquiry concerning the principles of morals, section 5 why utility pleases and appendix 1 concerning moral sentiment further reading spreading the word, s. Routledge and kegan paul, 1979, is the best discussion on objectification a term he does use. Relevant discus sions are also found in his humes moral theory. However, he has also made significant contributions to philosophy of. Empiricism underlies humes entire moral philosophy. Humes theory of knowledge and his moral philosophy essay. Mackie manages to combine wonderfully an engaged and sympathetic reading of hume with a sophisticated appreciation of the difficulties facing any humean account of morality. I then take up the question of how the process of strengthening moral sentiments might occur, rejecting the. Mackie wrote, on reflection, we might find an assignment of.
The combination of accurate scholarship and philosophical. There are a number of fine books on hume s moral theory but mackie s stands as one of the very best. Smith writes that in humes theory there is no such thing as moral obligation in the strict sense of the term kemp smith 1949, p. Humes influence on philosophy during his lifetime was nothing like it later became. As similar as humes and smiths accounts of moral thought are, they differ in telling ways. Humes position in ethics, which is based on his empiricist theory of the mind, is best known for asserting four theses. Mackie further discusses a number of features of these two arguments in humes moral theory boston. Humes moral theory international library of philosophy. The interpretation of humes moral theory that i detail in this dissertation is not to be taken as indisputable, in fact i am aware that many philosophers would disagree with the way humes thought is represented. If it were correct, then few would have any such duty, because few ever give genuine and voluntary.