On What Matters (2 Volume Set)

__On What Matters__ is a major work in moral philosophy. It is the long-awaited follow-up to Derek Parfit's 1984 book __Reasons and Persons__, one of the landmarks of twentieth-century philosophy. In this first volume Parfit presents a powerful new treatment of reasons and rationality, and a critical examination of three systematic moral theories -- Kant's ethics, contractualism, and consequentialism -- leading to his own ground-breaking synthetic conclusion. Along the way he discusses a wide range of moral issues, such as the significance of consent, treating people as a means rather than an end, and free will and responsibility. __On What Matters__ is already the most-discussed work in moral philosophy: its publication is likely to establish it as a modern classic which everyone working on moral philosophy will have to read, and which many others will turn to for stimulation and illumination. On What Matters Is A Major Work In Moral Philosophy. It Is The Long-awaited Follow-up To Derek Parfit's 1984 Book Reasons And Persons, One Of The Landmarks Of Twentieth-century Philosophy. Parfit Now Presents A Powerful New Treatment Of Reasons, Rationality, And Normativity, And A Critical Examination Of Three Systematic Moral Theories - Kant's Ethics, Contractualism, And Consequentialism - Leading To His Own Ground-breaking Synthetic Conclusion. Along The Way He Discusses A Wide Range Of Moral Issues, Such As The Significance Of Consent, Treating People As A Means Rather Than An End, And Free Will And Responsibility. On What Matters Is Already The Most-discussed Work In Moral Philosophy: Its Publication Is Likely To Establish It As A Modern Classic Which Everyone Working On Moral Philosophy Will Have To Read, And Which Many Others Will Turn To For Stimulation And Illumination. V. 1. Part 1: Reasons. Normative Concepts ; Objective Theories ; Subjective Theories ; Further Arguments ; Rationality ; Morality ; Moral Concepts -- Part 2: Principles. Possible Consent ; Merely As A Means ; Respect And Value ; Free Will And Desert -- Part 3: Theories. Universal Laws ; What If Everyone Did That? ; Impartiality ; Contractualism ; Consequentialism -- Conclusions -- Appendices. A. Stage-given Reasons ; B. Rational Irrationality And Gauthier's Theory ; C. Deontic Reasons -- V. 2. Part 4: Commentaries. Hiking The Range / Susan Wolf ; Humanity As An End In Itself / Allen Wood ; A Mismatch Of Methods / Barbara Herman ; How I An Not A Kantian / T.m. Scanlon -- Part 5: Responses. On Hiking The Range ; On Humanity As An End In Itself ; On A Mismatch Of Methods ; How The Numbers Count ; Scanlonian Contractualism ; The Triple Theory -- Part 6: Normativity. Analytical Naturalism And Subjectivism ; Non-analytical Naturalism ; The Triviality Objection ; Naturalism And Nihilism ; Non-cognitivism And Quasi-realism ; Normativity And Truth ; Normative Truths ; Metaphysics ; Epistemology ; Rationalism ; Agreement ; Nietzsche -- Appendices. Why Anything? Why This? ; The Fair Warning View ; Some Of Kant's Arguments For His Formula Of Universal Law ; Kant's Claims About The Good ; Autonomy And Categorical Imperatives ; Kant's Motivational Argument ; On What There Is -- V. 3 Part 7: Irreducibly Normative Truths. ; How Things Might Matter ; Non-realist Cognitivism ; Normative And Natural Truths ; Gibard's Offer To Non-naturalists ; Railton's Defence Of Soft Naturalism ; Railton's Resolution Of Our Disagreements ; Jackson's Non-empirical Normative Truths ; Schroeder's Conservative Reductive Thesis -- Part 8: Expressivist Truths ; Quasi-realist Expressivism ; Gibbard's Resolution Of Our Disagreements ; Another Triple Theory -- Part 9: Normative And Psychological Reasons ; Expressivist Reasons ; Subjective Reason ; Street's Meta-ethical Constructivism ; Morality, Blame, And Internal Reasons L Nietzsche's Mountain -- Part 10: Ethics ; What Matters And Universal Reasons ; Conflicting Reason ; The Right And The Good ; Deontological Principles ; Act Consequentialism And Common Sense Morality ; Towards A Unified Theory. Derek Parfit ; Edited And Introduced By Samuel Scheffler. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "On What Matters is a major work in moral philosophy. It is the long-awaited follow-up to Derek Parfit's 1984 book Reasons and Persons, one of the landmarks of twentieth-century philosophy. Parfit now presents a powerful new treatment of reasons, rationality, and normativity, and a critical examination of three systematic moral theories - Kant's ethics, contractualism, and consequentialism - leading to his own ground-breaking synthetic conclusion. Along the way he discusses a wide range of moral issues, such as the significance of consent, treating people as a means rather than an end, and free will and responsibility. On What Matters is already the most-discussed work in moral philosophy: its publication is likely to establish it as a modern classic which everyone working on moral philosophy will have to read, and which many others will turn to for stimulation and illumination."--Résumé de l'éditeur