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427Motivation in agentsNoûs 42 (2). 2008.The Humean theory of motivation remains the default position in much of the contemporary literature in meta-ethics, moral psychology, and action theory. Yet despite its widespread support, the theory is implausible as a view about what motivates agents to act. More specifically, my reasons for dissatisfaction with the Humean theory stem from its incompatibility with what I take to be a compelling model of the role of motivating reasons in first-person practical deliberation and third-person acti…Read more
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96Empathy as the Only Hope for the Virtue of Compassion and as Support for a Limited Unity of the Virtues.Philosophy, Theology, and the Sciences 2 (1): 89-113. 2015.
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67Guilt, Embarrassment, and Global Character Traits Associated with HelpingIn Thom Brooks (ed.), New Waves in Ethics, Palgrave-macmillan. 2011.The first section of this paper briefly summarizes my positive view of global helping traits. The remaining sections then develop the view in two new directions by examining the relationship between guilt, embarrassment, and helping behavior. It turns out that guilt and embarrassment reliably and cross-situationally enhance helping behavior, but in such a way that is incompatible with the nature of compassion as traditionally understood.
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2Does the CAPS Model Improve Our Understanding of Personality and Character?In Alberto Masala & Jonathan Webber (eds.), From Personality to Virtue: Essays on the Philosophy of Character, Oxford University Press Uk. pp. 155-185. 2016.The goal of this chapter is to offer the first detailed critical assessments of the CAPS model from a philosophical perspective. I will argue for the following claim: using technical language, the CAPS model re-describes and finds supporting evidence for basic platitudes of commonsense folk psychology.
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77Character Traits, Social Psychology, and Impediments to Helping BehaviorJournal of Ethics and Social Philosophy 5 (1): 1-36. 2010.In a number of recent papers, I have begun to develop a new theory of character which is conceptually distinct both from traditional Aristotelian accounts as well as from the positive view of local traits outlined by John Doris. On my view, many human beings do have robust traits of character which play an important explanatory and predictive role, but which are triggered by certain situational variables which preclude them from counting as genuine Aristotelian virtues. Like others in this discu…Read more
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109The policy-based approach to identificationPhilosophical Psychology 20 (1). 2007.In a number of recent papers, Michael Bratman has defended a policy-based theory of identification which represents the most sophisticated and compelling development of a broadly hierarchical approach to the problems about identification which Harry Frankfurt drew our attention to over thirty years ago. Here I first summarize the bare essentials of Bratman's view, and then raise doubts about both its necessity and sufficiency. Finally I consider his objections to rival value-based models, and fi…Read more
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Action |
Philosophy of Religion |
Meta-Ethics |
Normative Ethics |