Moral Notions and Originality and Some Examples: Reflections on Kovesi

Abstract

Moral concepts and principles that typically are not in the collection of terms widely discussed in the literature, but that have been or could be central pieces in moral systems. In Moral Notions, Kovesi distinguishes two types of elements within a notion: its formal element and its material elements. The extent of a notion's material elements is limited only by its formal element. Kovesi offfers inadvertence as an example of the way an original moral notion may enter the moral vocabulary. 'Morally original' may be used to refer to the coining of moral notions (and consequent principles) that purport to be complete and expand the moral descriptive vocabulary. The greatest resistance and require more persuasive argumentation if they are to be accepted as new bases for the ethical assessment of conduct and significantly alter the moral lexicon. Keywords:Kovesi; literature; Moral Notions; vocabulary