Value Theory

by Francesco Orsi, Thom Brooks (Editor)

Overview

What is it for a car, a piece of art or a person to be good, bad or better than another? In this first book-length introduction to value theory, Francesco Orsi explores the nature of evaluative concepts used in everyday thinking and speech and in contemporary philosophical discourse. The various dimensions, structures and connections that value concepts express are interrogated with clarity and incision.

Orsi provides a systematic survey of both classic texts including Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Moore and Ross and an array of contemporary theorists. The reader is guided through the moral maze of value theory with everyday examples and thought experiments. Rare stamps, Napoleon's hat, evil demons, and Kant's good will are all considered in order to probe our intuitions, question our own and philosophers' assumptions about value, and, ultimately, understand better what we want to say when we talk about value.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472524089
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	01/29/2015
Series:	Bloomsbury Ethics
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	541 KB

About the Author

Francesco Orsi is Senior Research Fellow in Practical Philosophy at the University of Tartu, Estonia.
Francesco Orsi is PostdoctoralResearcher in the Philosophy Department at Tartu University, Estonia.
Thom Brooks is Professor of Law and Government at Durham University, UK, and Founding Editor of the Journal of Moral Philosophy.

Table of Contents

1. Value and Normativity
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Which Evaluations?
1.3 The Idea of Value Theory
1.4 Value and Normativity
1.5 Overview
1.6 Meta-ethical Neutrality
1.7 Value Theory: The Questions

2. Meet the Values: Intrinsic, Final&Co.
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Final and Unconditional Value: Some Philosophical Examples
2.3 Intrinsic Value and Final Value
2.4 The Reduction to Facts
2.5 Intrinsic and Conditional Value
2.6 Elimination of Extrinsic Value?
2.7 Summary

3. The Challenge against Absolute Value
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Geach and Attributive Goodness
3.3 Foot and the Virtues
3.4 Thomson and Goodness in a Way
3.5 Zimmerman's Ethical Goodness
3.6 A Better Reply: Absolute Value and Fitting Attitudes
3.7 Summary

4. Personal Value
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Moore on Good and Good For
4.3 Good For and Fitting Attitudes
4.4 Moore Strikes Back?
4.5 Agent-relative Value
4.6 Impersonal/Personal and Agent-neutral/Agent-relative
4.7 Summary

5. The Chemistry of Value
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Supervenience and Other Relations
5.3 Organic Unities
5.4 Alternatives to Organic Unities: Virtual Value
5.5 Alternatives to Organic Unities: Conditional Value
5.6 Holism and Particularism
5.7 Summary

6. Value Relations
6.1 Introduction
6.2 The Trichotomy Thesis and Incomparability
6.3 A Fitting Attitude Argument for Incomparability
6.4 Against Incomparability: Epistemic Limitations
6.5 Against Incomparability: Parity
6.6 Parity and Choice
6.7 Parity and Incomparability
6.8 Summary

7. How Do I Favour Thee?
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Three Dimensions of Favouring
7.3 Responses to Value: Maximizing
7.4 Two Concepts of Intrinsic Value?
7.5 Summary

8. Value and the Wrong Kind of Reasons
8.1 Introduction
8.2 The Fitting Attitude Account and its Rivals
8.3 The Wrong Kind of Reasons Problem
8.4 The Structure of the Problem and an Initial Response
8.5 Reasons for What?
8.6 Characteristic Concerns and Shared Reasons
8.7 Circular Path: No-Priority
8.8 Summary

Editorial Reviews

[Orsi] manages to be both clear and accessible as he navigates the many distinctions and relations that have come to populate the field. ... [A] welcome addition to the literature and a useful resource.” —Ethical Theory and Moral Practice

“Orsi provides a detailed but succinct exploration of every axis of value theory, with special attention to the fitting attitude theory. Clearly written and tightly argued, this book is a thorough guide to the shape of value that also advances current debates in creative and engaging ways.” —Scott A. Davison, Professor of Philosophy and Chair, Department of History, Philosophy, Religion and Legal Studies, Morehead State University, USA

“Francesco Orsi's Value Theory is the first thorough overview of all the main distinctions and debates in the rich philosophical tradition of investigating the evaluative realm. It is also historically informed, clear, balanced, and well-argued overall.” —Dr Jussi Suikkanen, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Birmingham, UK

“Orsi's book lucidly explores core conceptual questions at the very fore of value theory. The focus is on the much-discussed fitting-attitude analysis of value, and Orsi serves as an excellent and attentive guide, as the reader explores the advantages as well as the more serious rocks and shoals inherent in this approach. Not only is the book a great introduction to this pattern of analysis, it provides a distinguished contribution to contemporary value theory.” —Toni Rønnow-Rasmussen, Professor of Practical Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Lund University, Sweden

From the Publisher

Francesco Orsi's Value Theory is the first thorough overview of all the main distinctions and debates in the rich philosophical tradition of investigating the evaluative realm. It is also historically informed, clear, balanced, and well-argued overall.

Dr Jussi Suikkanen

Orsi provides a detailed but succinct exploration of every axis of value theory, with special attention to the fitting attitude theory. Clearly written and tightly argued, this book is a thorough guide to the shape of value that also advances current debates in creative and engaging ways.

Scott A. Davison