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The Fundamental Naturalistic Impulse: Extending the Reach of Methodological Naturalism

Summers, James B
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Abstract

While naturalistic theories have come to dominate the philosophical landscape, there is still little consensus on what “naturalism” means. I trace the origins of contemporary naturalism to a view, called the “fundamental naturalistic impulse,” that originates in Quine’s turn against Carnap and which I take to be necessary for naturalism. In light of this impulse, some “substantively naturalistic” theories are examined: a weak version of non-supernaturalism, Railton’s a posteriori reduction of moral terms, and “Canberra plan” conceptual analyses of moral property terms. I suggest that if we take the fundamental naturalistic impulse seriously, then there is no need to differentiate substantive versions of naturalism over and above methodological versions. Substantive thesis in ontology or semantics can be had

on account of one’s methodological commitments. This not only cuts against the distinction between methodological and substantive naturalisms, but also demonstrates just how far method can reach.

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Date
2011-03-15
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Research Projects
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Keywords
Naturalism, W.V. Quine, Rudolpf Carnap, Peter Railton, Conceptual analysis, Frank Jackson, Meta ethics, Philosophical methodology
Citation
Summers, James B. "The Fundamental Naturalistic Impulse: Extending the Reach of Methodological Naturalism." 2011. Thesis, Georgia State University. https://doi.org/10.57709/1951316
Embargo Lift Date
2011-04-22
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