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Expressivism and Normative Realism

Project description

A closer look at normative realism and expressivism

Facts about what is good, right and rational is defined as normative realism. On the other hand, expressivism defines the view that normative claims express desire-like mental states, attitudes of approval and disapproval. All forms of expressivism, such as semantic, pragmatic and meta-semantic, can be made compatible with realism. A meta-semantic version of expressivism can be defended by isolating its philosophical benefits. Expressivism needs to be combined with a commitment to objective normative truths to fully account for normative disagreement. All three objectives will be undertaken by the EU funded ENR project. Its aim will be to reconcile normative realism and expressivism about normative discourse via these three objectives.

Objective

Normative realism is the view that there are objective normative facts, i.e. facts about what is good, right, or rational, and many of our beliefs about these facts are true. Expressivism about normative discourse is the view that normative claims express desire-like mental states, such as attitudes of approval and disapproval, rather than ordinary beliefs. These two perspectives on normativity are in tension, yet each seems to capture something essential about normative thought: realism makes good on intuitions about truth and objectivity that seem non-negotiable from the engaged perspective of a deliberating agent, while expressivism accounts for the motivational force of normative thought and for the possibility of radical disagreement on normative matters.

This project aims to reconcile normative realism and expressivism about normative discourse via three research objectives: (1) arguing that all forms of expressivism (i.e. semantic, pragmatic, meta-semantic) can be made compatible with realism; (2) defending a meta-semantic version of expressivism by isolating its philosophical benefits; (3) showing that not only is expressivism compatible with a commitment to objective normative truths, but it needs to be combined with such a commitment in order to fully account for normative disagreement. Each research objective will yield one stand-alone paper, and together they will result in a book proposal.

These deliverables will help re-integrate the ER into the European philosophical community and establish him as one of the leading European experts in metaethics.

Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 224 933,76
Address
WOODHOUSE LANE
LS2 9JT Leeds
United Kingdom

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Region
Yorkshire and the Humber West Yorkshire Leeds
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 224 933,76
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