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"Reasons matter greatly to us in both ordinary and theoretical contexts, being connected to two fundamental normative concerns: figuring out what we should do and what attitudes to have, and understanding the duties and responsibilities that apply to us. This book introduces and critiques most of the contemporary theories of normative reasons-considerations that speak in favor of an action, belief, or emotion-to explore how they work. Artåurs Logins develops and defends a new theory: the Erotetic view of reasons, according to which normative reasons are appropriate answers to normative why questions (Why should I do this?). This theory draws on evidence of how why questions work in informal logic, language and philosophy of science. The resulting view is able to avoid the problems of previous accounts, while retaining all of their attractive features, and it also suggests exciting directions for future research. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core"--
List of contents
Introduction; 1. Stage Setting: Distinctions and Starting Points; 2. The Reasoning View; 3. The Explanation View; 4. The Evidence View; 5. New Proposal: The Erotetic View; 6. An Application of the Erotetic View: Overcoming the Evidentialism¿Pragmatism Dispute.
About the author
Artūrs Logins is Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione Fellow at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He works in epistemology and foundational normative questions, and has published papers in Philosophical Studies, Ethics, Analysis, Erkenntnis, European Journal of Philosophy, Thought and Inquiry.
Summary
What are reasons to do something? This study assesses and critiques the current theories of normative reasons and provides a new theory of reasons as answers to normative why-questions, both for specialists and advanced students in epistemology, metaethics and ethics.This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Foreword
The first accessible, detailed overview of the debates about normative reasons, developing a new theory based on why-questions.
