Lewd, the Rude and the Nasty - A Study of Thick Concepts in Ethics

Väyrynen argues that thick concepts - such as lewd and rude, selfish and cruel, courageous and kind - are evaluative only as a matter of pragmatics. If thick concepts are not inherently evaluative in meaning, they cannot have the deep and distinctive significance they are often given in moral philosophy.

About the author

Pekka Väyrynen is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at University of Leeds.

Summary

Väyrynen argues that thick concepts -- such as lewd and rude, selfish and cruel, courageous and kind -- are evaluative only as a matter of pragmatics. If thick concepts are not inherently evaluative in meaning, they cannot have the deep and distinctive significance they are often given in moral philosophy.

Additional text

[This book is] not just good, but superb.

Product details

• Authors: Pekka Vayrynen, Pekka (Professor of Moral Philosophy Vayrynen
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 28.11.2013
• EAN: 9780199314751
• ISBN: 978-0-19-931475-1
• No. of pages: 288
• Series: Oxford Moral Theory
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works