  |
|
|
||||
|
||||
The Significance of Desire
David O. Brink University of California, San Diego; University of San Diego School of Law Oxford Studies in Metaethics, Vol. 3, 2007 San Diego Legal Studies Paper No. 07-70 Abstract: This article examines the role of desire in conceptions of practical reason and the human good. After reconstructing various historically influential rationales for assigning desire an important role in conceptions of practical reason and value, I argue that desire cannot play a genuinely foundational role in such conceptions. Instead, I articulate an alternative perfectionist conception of practical reason and the human good that appeals to our nature as agents and assigns significance not to desire per se, but to reflectively endorsed desire, choice, or will. I conclude by exploring different perfectionist models for weighing the significance of the fact of choice against the content of choice.
Keywords: desire, good, instrumentalism, internalism, normativity, perfectionism, personal good, pluralism, practical reason, value, welfare, well-being JEL Classifications: 700, K1, K10 Accepted Paper SeriesDate posted: October 08, 2006 ; Last revised: December 11, 2006Suggested CitationContact Information
|
|
||||||||||||||||
© 2010 Social Science Electronic Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
FAQ
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Copyright
This page was served by apollo1 in 0.125 seconds.
One-Click Download
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Del.icio.us
CiteULike
