Can Science Determine Moral Values? A Reply to Sam Harris

Can Science Determine Moral Values? A Reply to Sam Harris

Sam Harris’ new book “The Moral Landscape” is the latest in a series of attempts to provide a new “science of morality.” This essay argues that such a project is unlikely to succeed, using Harris’ text as an example of the major philosophical problems that would be faced by any such theory. In parti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuroethics Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 55 - 65
Main Author: Kaufman, Whitley R. P.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-04-2012
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Education
Ethics
Indexing in process
Neurology
Neuropsychology
Neuroradiology
Neurosciences
Neurosurgery
Philosophy
Review Paper
Ethics
Neuroscience
Morality
Utilitarianism
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Sam Harris’ new book “The Moral Landscape” is the latest in a series of attempts to provide a new “science of morality.” This essay argues that such a project is unlikely to succeed, using Harris’ text as an example of the major philosophical problems that would be faced by any such theory. In particular, I argue that those trying to construct a scientific ethics need pay far more attention to the tradition of moral philosophy, rather than assuming the debate is simply between a scientific ethics and a “supernatural” ethics provided by religion.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1874-5490
1874-5504
DOI:10.1007/s12152-010-9096-y