Dissolving the Wrong Kind of Reason Problem

Journal article


Rowland, Richard. (2015). Dissolving the Wrong Kind of Reason Problem. Philosophical Studies. 172(6), pp. 1455 - 1474. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-014-0359-z
AuthorsRowland, Richard
Abstract

According to fitting-attitude (FA) accounts of value, X is of final value if and only if there are reasons for us to have a certain pro-attitude towards it. FA accounts supposedly face the wrong kind of reason (WKR) problem. The WKR problem is the problem of revising FA accounts to exclude so called wrong kind of reasons. And wrong kind of reasons are reasons for us to have certain pro-attitudes towards things that are not of value. I argue that the WKR problem can be dissolved. I argue that (A) the view that there are wrong kind of reasons for the pro-attitudes that figure in FA accounts conflicts with the conjunction of (B) an extremely plausible and extremely weak connection between normative and motivating reasons and (C) an extremely plausible generality constraint on the reasons for pro-attitudes that figure in FA accounts. I argue that when confronted with this trilemma we should give up (A) rather than (B) or (C) because there is a good explanation of why (A) seems so plausible but is in fact false, but there is no good explanation of why (B) and (C) seem so plausible but are in fact false.

Year2015
JournalPhilosophical Studies
Journal citation172 (6), pp. 1455 - 1474
ISSN0031-8116
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-014-0359-z
Page range1455 - 1474
Research GroupInstitute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Publisher's version
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Controlled
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