The subject of this thesis is formal axiology, i.e., the discipline that deals with structural and conceptual questions about value. The main focus is on intrinsic or final value. The thesis consists of an introduction and six free-standing essays. The purpose of the introduction is to give a general background to the discussions in the essays. The introduction is divided into five sections. Section 1 outlines the subject matter and sketches the methodological framework. Section 2 discusses the supervenience of value, and how my use of that notion squares with the broader methodological framework. Section 3 defends the concept of intrinsic or final value. Section 4 discusses issues in value typology; particularly how intrinsic value relates to final value. Section 5 summarises the essays and provides some specific backgrounds to their respective themes.The six essays are thematically divided into four categories: The first two deal with specific issues concerning analyzes of value. Essay 1 is a comparative discussion of competing approaches in this area. Essay 2 discusses, and proposes a solution to, a significant problem for the so called ‘buck-passing’ analysis of value. Essay 3 discusses the ontological nature of the bearers of final value…
Contents
1. Sorting Out Value: Disciplines and Distinctions
1.1 Meta-Ethics and Normative Ethics
1.2 Axiology: Formal and Substantive
1.3 Demarcating the Subject
2. The Supervenience of Value
2.1 The Supervenience of Value (Sketchily) Characterised
2.2 Supervenience and Meta-Ethical Commitments
2.3 Blackburn’s Puzzle Deconstructed
3. In Defence of Moore’s Premise
3.1 Intrinsic Value (Sketchily) Characterized
3.2 Geach on Attributive and Predicative Goodness
3.3 Thomson’s Ways of Goodness
3.4 Thomson and the Elusiveness of Intrinsic Value
3.5 Bernstein and the Elusiveness of Intrinsic Value
4. Value Typology
4.1 Types of Value: Final vs. Intrinsic, For Its Own Sake vs. In Itself
4.2 Examples of Extrinsic Final Values
4.3 Value Typology and Value Bearers
4.4 Where This Leaves Us
5. Backgrounds to the Essays
5.1 Value Analyses
5.2 Value Bearers
5.3 Organic Unities, Intrinsicalism, Conditionalism
5.4 Formal Axiology and Normative Theory
Appendix
The Value Monism/Pluralism Contrast: A Taxonomy
Substantive Value Monism/Pluralism
Ontological Value Monism/Pluralism
Response Value Monism/Pluralism
References
Author: Olson, Jonas
Source: Uppsala University Library
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