The Intercultural Ethics The Intercultural Ethics Agenda from an Agenda from an Objectivist Point of Objectivist Point of ViewView

Kenneth Einar HimmaKenneth Einar Himma

Seattle Pacific UniversitySeattle Pacific University

himma@spu.eduhimma@spu.edu

A Variety of Different A Variety of Different Intercultural Ethics Intercultural Ethics ProjectsProjects Ess and Buchanan: Get cultures to agree Ess and Buchanan: Get cultures to agree

on intercultural ethics to facilitate on intercultural ethics to facilitate coordinated activity in a global economycoordinated activity in a global economy

Hongladarom: Reconcile ordinary Hongladarom: Reconcile ordinary doctrines of privacy with Buddhist denial doctrines of privacy with Buddhist denial of selfof self

Capurro and Britz: Organized series of Capurro and Britz: Organized series of conferences, most recently in South conferences, most recently in South Africa, to facilitate dialogue between IE in Africa, to facilitate dialogue between IE in different parts of the world.different parts of the world.

Three Views of TruthThree Views of Truth

Subjective truth: a proposition or norm Subjective truth: a proposition or norm PP is is subjectively true if and only if its truth-value subjectively true if and only if its truth-value depends on what some relevant individual depends on what some relevant individual thinks and that individual thinks thinks and that individual thinks P P is true.is true.

Intersubjective truth: a proposition or norm Intersubjective truth: a proposition or norm P P is intersubjectively (or conventionally) true if is intersubjectively (or conventionally) true if and only if its truth-value depends on what and only if its truth-value depends on what some group of individuals thinks and members some group of individuals thinks and members of the group converge in thinking of the group converge in thinking P P is true.is true.

Objective truth: a proposition or norm Objective truth: a proposition or norm P P is is objectively true if and only if its truth-value is objectively true if and only if its truth-value is independent of what any person or group of independent of what any person or group of persons think about the truth-value of persons think about the truth-value of PP..

Two Classes of Two Classes of Intercultural Ethical Intercultural Ethical TasksTasks Descriptive ICE: Identify ethical principles Descriptive ICE: Identify ethical principles

that different cultures have in common that different cultures have in common and those on which they disagree.and those on which they disagree.– Empirical in characterEmpirical in character

Normative ICE: Identify ethical principles Normative ICE: Identify ethical principles that different cultures that different cultures should should agree on in agree on in governing global information and governing global information and economic activity.economic activity.– Moral, prudential, or aesthetic in characterMoral, prudential, or aesthetic in character

Skepticism about Skepticism about Objective TruthObjective Truth Skepticism about objectivity is Skepticism about objectivity is

not limited to skepticism about not limited to skepticism about objectivity of moral principles.objectivity of moral principles.– The earth is roughly sphericalThe earth is roughly spherical

Skepticism about Skepticism about Objective TruthObjective Truth Skepticism about objectivity is not Skepticism about objectivity is not

limited to skepticism about objectivity limited to skepticism about objectivity of moral principles.of moral principles.– The earth is roughly sphericalThe earth is roughly spherical

Grounded in Kantian claim that we do Grounded in Kantian claim that we do not have unmediated access to reality not have unmediated access to reality an sichan sich. Can’t think or talk about the . Can’t think or talk about the world without concepts and language world without concepts and language that are social inventions.that are social inventions.

Problems with Problems with Skepticism about Skepticism about Objective TruthObjective Truth

1.1. Kantian claim, however, is an Kantian claim, however, is an epistemological claim that cannot support the epistemological claim that cannot support the ontological claim that there are no objective truths ontological claim that there are no objective truths about the world – or no way that the world about the world – or no way that the world is is independently of our concepts.independently of our concepts.2.2. Indeed, given our concepts, everyone could Indeed, given our concepts, everyone could be mistaken about the shape of the world, which is be mistaken about the shape of the world, which is the hallmark of objectivity.the hallmark of objectivity.3.3. The claim that there are objective truths The claim that there are objective truths purports to be an objective truth, so the denial of purports to be an objective truth, so the denial of this claim, if it is to engage the position, must also this claim, if it is to engage the position, must also purport to be objective, which is self-contradictory.purport to be objective, which is self-contradictory.

Skepticism about Skepticism about Moral ObjectivityMoral Objectivity Moral principles are neither Moral principles are neither

objectively true nor objectively objectively true nor objectively false; if they have truth-value, false; if they have truth-value, they are determined by cultural they are determined by cultural practices.practices.

Arguments for Arguments for Skepticism about Skepticism about Moral ObjectivityMoral Objectivity The Disagreement Argument: Cultures The Disagreement Argument: Cultures

disagree on moral principles; so, moral disagree on moral principles; so, moral principles not objective.principles not objective.

The Epistemological Argument: We have The Epistemological Argument: We have no epistemically reliable way to resolve no epistemically reliable way to resolve moral disagreements between cultures.moral disagreements between cultures.

The Tolerance Argument: The Tolerance Argument: Intersubjectivism more likely to Intersubjectivism more likely to encourage tolerance of cultural encourage tolerance of cultural differences than objectivism.differences than objectivism.

Normative ICE and Normative ICE and Skepticism about Skepticism about Objective TruthObjective Truth Intersubjectivism and subjectivism cannot Intersubjectivism and subjectivism cannot

provide coherent motivation for normative provide coherent motivation for normative project of pursuing agreement on moral project of pursuing agreement on moral principles. Can’t argue for agreement on principles. Can’t argue for agreement on moral grounds because there is no universal moral grounds because there is no universal principle that agreement is morally good. principle that agreement is morally good. Can’t argue for agreement on prudential Can’t argue for agreement on prudential grounds because prudential grounds are grounds because prudential grounds are irrelevant with respect to choosing or adopting irrelevant with respect to choosing or adopting moral principles. Only moral grounds can moral principles. Only moral grounds can justify adoption or choice of moral principles. justify adoption or choice of moral principles. (see William Frankena, “The Concept of (see William Frankena, “The Concept of Morality”).Morality”).

Normative ICE and Normative ICE and Moral ObjectivismMoral Objectivism Moral objectivism faces a lot of Moral objectivism faces a lot of

difficult issues.difficult issues.– E.g., what is ground for believing E.g., what is ground for believing

moral objectivism is true?moral objectivism is true?

Normative ICE and Normative ICE and Moral ObjectivismMoral Objectivism Moral objectivism faces a lot of Moral objectivism faces a lot of

difficult issues.difficult issues.– E.g., what is ground for believing E.g., what is ground for believing

moral objectivism is true?moral objectivism is true? But moral objectivism can But moral objectivism can

coherently pursue the normative coherently pursue the normative goal by giving moral reasons for goal by giving moral reasons for the goodness of agreement.the goodness of agreement.

Normative ICE and Normative ICE and Moral ObjectivismMoral Objectivism Moral objectivism faces a lot of difficult Moral objectivism faces a lot of difficult

issues.issues.– E.g., what is ground for believing moral E.g., what is ground for believing moral

objectivism is true?objectivism is true? But moral objectivism can coherently But moral objectivism can coherently

pursue the normative goal by giving pursue the normative goal by giving moral reasons for the goodness of moral reasons for the goodness of agreement.agreement.

Moral objectivism also has a viable Moral objectivism also has a viable methodology for producing agreement: methodology for producing agreement: Gert’s “common morality” + Rawls Gert’s “common morality” + Rawls “reflective equilibrium”“reflective equilibrium”

Normative ICE and Normative ICE and Moral ObjectivismMoral Objectivism Moral objectivism faces a lot of difficult issues.Moral objectivism faces a lot of difficult issues.

– E.g., what is ground for believing moral objectivism is E.g., what is ground for believing moral objectivism is true?true?

But moral objectivism can coherently pursue the But moral objectivism can coherently pursue the normative goal by giving moral reasons for the normative goal by giving moral reasons for the goodness of agreement.goodness of agreement.

Moral objectivism also has a viable methodology Moral objectivism also has a viable methodology for producing agreement: Gert’s “common for producing agreement: Gert’s “common morality” + Rawls “reflective equilibrium”morality” + Rawls “reflective equilibrium”– Much disagreement that appears moral is not about Much disagreement that appears moral is not about

fundamental moral principles at all: much disagreement fundamental moral principles at all: much disagreement involves disagreement about how to apply shared involves disagreement about how to apply shared principles or disagreement about factual matters that principles or disagreement about factual matters that condition applicability of shared moral principles.condition applicability of shared moral principles.

Normative ICE and Normative ICE and Moral ObjectivismMoral Objectivism Moral objectivism faces a lot of difficult issues.Moral objectivism faces a lot of difficult issues.

– E.g., what is ground for believing moral objectivism is true?E.g., what is ground for believing moral objectivism is true? But moral objectivism can coherently pursue the But moral objectivism can coherently pursue the

normative goal by giving moral reasons for the goodness normative goal by giving moral reasons for the goodness of agreement.of agreement.

Moral objectivism also has a viable methodology for Moral objectivism also has a viable methodology for producing agreement: Gert’s “common morality” + producing agreement: Gert’s “common morality” + Rawls “reflective equilibrium”Rawls “reflective equilibrium”– Much disagreement that appears moral is not about Much disagreement that appears moral is not about

fundamental moral principles at all: much disagreement fundamental moral principles at all: much disagreement involves disagreement about how to apply shared principles involves disagreement about how to apply shared principles or disagreement about factual matters that condition or disagreement about factual matters that condition applicability of shared moral principles.applicability of shared moral principles.

– Indeed, one reason that diversity of moral views has been Indeed, one reason that diversity of moral views has been reduced during Information Age is precisely that new reduced during Information Age is precisely that new information technologies have made possible dialogues information technologies have made possible dialogues seeking reflective equilibrium.seeking reflective equilibrium.

ConclusionConclusion

The most promising foundation for The most promising foundation for the normative ICE project is moral the normative ICE project is moral objectivism. If intersubjectivists objectivism. If intersubjectivists succeed in producing agreement, it succeed in producing agreement, it will be, in part, because they have will be, in part, because they have ignored their own skepticism about ignored their own skepticism about objectivity to adopt methodologies objectivity to adopt methodologies available only to moral objectivists.available only to moral objectivists.

The EndThe End

Thank you.Thank you.