How I changed my mind about truth | Simon Blackburn
Sep 19, 2023
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Renowned philosopher Simon Blackburn discusses navigating heated moral discussions, the play of perspective on moral dilemmas, and his notable disagreements with Richard Rorty. From understanding contentious topics to gaining insights into meta-ethics, Blackburn takes us on an enlightening journey into the depths of truth and its implications in the modern world.
Morality is a matter of attitudes, not purely subjective, and requires self-criticism and scrutiny of our own and others' attitudes.
Engaging in moral dilemmas and continuously reassessing our attitudes fosters progress and the discovery of more defensible positions in ethical debates.
Deep dives
Objective morality without metaphysics
Simon Blackburn argues for a middle ground in which morality is a matter of our attitudes but not merely subjective. We have the capacity for self-criticism, enabling us to scrutinize our attitudes and those of others. While morality lacks metaphysical grounding, Blackburn defends the objectivist trappings of moral thought without relying on metaphysics. He acknowledges the existence of moral facts and the language of truth in moral discussions.
The role of self-awareness and skepticism
Blackburn emphasizes the importance of cultivating self-awareness and a sense of self-criticism in moral reasoning. He criticizes the tendency in the modern world to form certainties too quickly without adopting a more skeptical stance. By fostering self-awareness, individuals can genuinely engage with moral facts and continuously reassess their own attitudes.
Navigating moral disagreements and finding truth
Blackburn discusses how moral disagreements, such as the abortion debate, require careful negotiation and consideration. He acknowledges that there may be differences in moral perspectives, but argues that individuals should strive for a balance between persuasion and self-persuasion. While achieving perfect objectivity may be challenging, the process of engaging in moral dilemmas and striving for the best thoughts allows for progress and the discovery of more defensible positions.
Can we have objective morality without metaphysics?
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Join Simon Blackburn, renowned philosopher at Cambridge University, as he discusses navigating heated moral discussions, the play of perspective on moral dilemmas, and his notable disagreements with Richard Rorty. From understanding contentious topics to gaining insights into meta-ethics, Blackburn takes us on an enlightening journey into the depths of truth and its implications in the modern world.
Simon Blackburn is an academic philosopher known for his work on meta-ethics and his attempts to popularise philosophy to a wider audience. He has published over a dozen books on various philosophical issues both for public and academic audiences, and has appeared on shows such as Radio 4's The Moral Maze and PBS's Closer to Truth. He is known for proposing a meta-ethical view called 'quasi-realism' which proposes that ethical statements are projections of emotional attitudes as if they were real features of the world. His latest book, On Truth (2018), examines various philosophical approaches to the concept of truth, in order to interrogate what it is, how we should think about it, and why it matters.