Synopses & Reviews
How should we reason about what we do? The answer offered by most recent philosophy, as well as such disciplines as decision theory, welfare economics, and political science, is that we should select efficient means to our ends. However, if we ask how we should decide which ends or goals to aim at, these standard theoretical approaches are silent. Henry Richardson argues that we can determine our ends rationally. He constructs a rich and original theory of how we can reason about what to seek for its own sake as a final goal. Richardson defuses the counterarguments for the limits of rational deliberation, and develops interesting ideas about how his model might be extended to interpersonal deliberation of ends, taking him to the borders of political theory.
Synopsis
Henry Richardson argues that we can determine our ends rationally. He constructs a rich and original theory of how we can reason about what to seek for its own sake as a final goal. Richardson defuses the counter-arguments for the limits of rational deliberation, and develops interesting ideas about how his model might be extended to interpersonal deliberation of ends.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 309-319) and index.
Table of Contents
PART 1. PROBLEM: 1. Introduction; 2. Practical reasoning; PART II. SCOPE: 3. Ends in deliberation; 4. Specifying ends; PART III. SYSTEM; 5. Value incommensurability; 6. Is commensurability a prerequisite of rational choice?; 7. Practical coherence; 8. Reflective sovereignty; PART IV. SOURCE; 9. Sources and limits; 10. Ultimate ends; PART V. DISAGREEMENT: 11. Interpersonal deliberation; 12. Disagreement in concept and in practice; 13. Dialectical softening; 14. Realizing rationality.