Morality, Normativity, and Society | National Humanities Center

Work of the Fellows: Monographs

Morality, Normativity, and Society

By David Copp (NHC Fellow, 1988–89)

Morality; Normativity; Metaphysics; Philosophy of Language

New York: Oxford University Press, 1995

From the publisher’s description:

Moral claims not only assume to be true, but they also guide our choices. This fascinating book presents a new theory of normative judgment, the "standard-based theory," which offers a schematic account of the truth conditions of normative propositions of all kinds, including moral propositions and propositions about reasons. Here, David Copp argues that because any society needs a social moral code in order to enable its members to live together successfully, and because it would be rational for a society to choose such a system, certain moral codes--and the standards they include--are justified. In this work, Copp raises a number of important issues in moral theory, as well as in metaphysics and the philosophy of language.

Subjects
Philosophy / Morality / Normativity / Metaphysics / Philosophy of Language /

Copp, David (NHC Fellow, 1988–89). Morality, Normativity, and Society. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.