The Choice of Problems and the Limits of Reason

Abstract

The problem of rational choice is as old as philosophical ethics. Indeed these two problems are (nearly) identified since the problems of philosophical ethics are viewed as one variant of the problem of rational choice. Whereas moral codes offer directions for proper choices under given common conditions or at least criteria for such choices, philosophical ethics is almost exclusively devoted to the choice of a criterion or to directions for the proper choice of a criterion. This task as we shall see was taken to be a problem of showing how criteria could be rationally justified. It was taken for granted that choice ought to be rational, thus reducing the problem of ethics to a problem of rationality: by what criterion does choice become rational? Or, how does the decision to choose rationally affect choice? Or, what is rationality? And so on.KeywordsEthical PrincipleRational ChoiceCausal ExplanationRational ThoughtMoral KnowledgeThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.