Neither 'Good' in Terms of 'Better' nor 'Better' in Terms of 'Good'

Noûs 48 (1):466-473 (2014)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

In this paper, I argue against defining either of ‘good’ and ‘better’ in terms of the other. According to definitions of ‘good’ in terms of ‘better’, something is good if and only if it is better than some indifference point. Against this approach, I argue that the indifference point cannot be defined in terms of ‘better’ without ruling out some reasonable axiologies. Against defining ‘better’ in terms of ‘good’, I argue that this approach either cannot allow for the incorruptibility of intrinsic goodness or it breaks down in cases where both of the relata of ‘better’ are bad.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 91,219

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

The goodness of searching: good as what? good for what? good for whom?Amelie Oksenberg Rorty - 2011 - In Ruth Weissbourd Grant (ed.), In search of goodness. London: University of Chicago Press.
Is the right prior to the good?Julian Fink - 2007 - South African Journal of Philosophy 26 (2):143-149.
Goodness and Moral Twin Earth.Christopher Freiman - 2014 - Erkenntnis 79 (2):445-460.
Is Creation Really Good? Delio - 2009 - American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly 83 (1):3-22.
To understand it on its own terms.Denis Dutton - 1974 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 35 (2):246-256.
The Guise of Reasons.Alex Gregory - 2013 - American Philosophical Quarterly 50 (1):63-72.
Hyperventilating about intrinsic value.Fred Feldman - 1998 - The Journal of Ethics 2 (4):339-354.
Good and bad actions.Alastair Norcross - 1997 - Philosophical Review 106 (1):1-34.

Analytics

Added to PP
2013-07-22

Downloads
184 (#102,805)

6 months
18 (#127,601)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Johan E. Gustafsson
University of Texas at Austin

References found in this work

The Morality of Freedom.Joseph Raz - 1986 - Oxford, GB: Oxford University Press.
Weighing lives.John Broome - 2004 - New York: Oxford University Press.
The Morality of Freedom.Joseph Raz - 1986 - Philosophy 63 (243):119-122.
Philosophical Studies.George Edward Moore - 1922 - Paterson, N.J.,: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

View all 21 references / Add more references