The Normative Requirement of Means-End Rationality and Modest Bootstrapping

Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 17 (3):487-503 (2014)
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Abstract

“Myth theorists” have recently called the normative requirement of means-end rationality into question. I show that we can accept certain lessons from the Myth Theorists and also salvage our intuition that there is a normative requirement of means-end rationality. I argue that any appeal to a requirement to make our attitudes coherent as such is superfluous and unnecessary in order to vindicate the requirement of means-end rationality and also avoid the problematic conclusion that persons ought to take the means to whatever ends they happen to intend

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Luis Cheng-Guajardo
Santa Clara University

Citations of this work

Instrumental Rationality.John Brunero & Niko Kolodny - 2013 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

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References found in this work

Intention, plans, and practical reason.Michael Bratman - 1987 - Cambridge: Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Logic and Conversation.H. P. Grice - 1975 - In Donald Davidson & Gilbert Harman (eds.), The Logic of Grammar. Encino, CA: pp. 64-75.
The limits of morality.Shelly Kagan - 1989 - New York: Oxford University Press.
Practical reason and norms.Joseph Raz - 1975 - London: Hutchinson.

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