Being a realist about relativism (in ethics)

Philosophical Studies 61 (1-2):155-176 (1991)
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Abstract

How should a moral realist respond to the (seemingly) abundant evidence diversity provides for relativism? Many think there is only one reasonable response: abandon moral realism. Against them, I argue that moral realists can stand their ground in the face of moral diversity without relying on excessively optimistic arguments or unrealistic assumptions. In the process, I defend two theses: (i) that, far from being incompatible with moral realism, many plausible versions of relativism are _versions of moral realism; and (ii) the best interpretation of the argument from diversity to relativism tells not at all against realist versions of relativism

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Geoffrey Sayre-McCord
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Citations of this work

Moral Relativism in Context.James R. Beebe - 2010 - Noûs 44 (4):691-724.
Metaethics.Geoff Sayre-McCord - 2008 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
The Conditions of Moral Realism.Christian Miller - 2009 - Journal of Philosophical Research 34:123-155.

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