Why Ethics Needs Metaphysics? Cover Image

Kodėl etikai reikia metafizikos?
Why Ethics Needs Metaphysics?

Author(s): Aistė Noreikaitė
Subject(s): Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics / Practical Philosophy, Contemporary Philosophy
Published by: Vilniaus Universiteto Leidykla
Keywords: ethics; metaphysics; Ronald Dworkin; ethical subject;

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this paper is to show that Ronald Dworkin’s objective to isolate ethics from metaphysics is not sufficiently grounded, and a certain metaphysics is inherent even in his own position of autonomous ethics. While opposing those thinkers who seek to ground ethics by finding an external – neutral and non-evaluative – ground, Dworkin identifies this externality to ethics with metaphysics and aims to show its fallibility. However, such a conception of metaphysics seems to be too narrow and one-sided and leads his own position into contradictions. This paper aims to demonstrate these contradictions and to argue that even the position that is inner to ethics and stems from a first-person agent’s perspective can only be developed while considering such metaphysical ideas as freedom, dignity, person.

  • Issue Year: 2019
  • Issue No: 96
  • Page Range: 8-22
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Lithuanian