Synopses & Reviews
This third volume of Lewis' papers is devoted to his work in ethics and social philosophy. Topics covered include the logic of obligation and permission; decision theory and its relation to the idea that beliefs might play the motivating role of desires; a subjectivist analysis of value; dilemmas in virtue ethics; the problem of evil; problems about self-prediction; social coordination, linguistic and otherwise; alleged duties to rescue distant strangers; toleration as a tacit treaty; nuclear warfare; and punishment. The purpose of this collection, and the two preceding volumes, is to disseminate more widely the work of an eminent and influential contemporary philosopher.
Table of Contents
Introduction; 1. Semantic analyses for dyadic deontic logic; 2. A problem about permission; 3. Reply to McMichael; 4. Why ainâcha rich?; 5. Desire as belief I; 6. Desire as belief II; 7. Dispositional theories of value; 8. The Trapâs dilemma; 9. Evil for freedomâs sake?; 10. Do we believe in penal substitution?; 11. Convention: reply to Jamieson; 12. Meaning without use: reply to Hawthorne; 13. Illusory innocence?; 14. Mill and Milquetoast; 15. Academic appointments: why ignore the advantage of being right?; 16. Devilâs bargains and the real world; 17. Buy like a MADman, use like a NUT; 18. The punishment that leaves something to chance; 19. Scriven on human unpredictability (with Jane S. Richardson).