Is Morality Real?
An essay arguing that morality is real in the sense that matters: it is part of practical reason and makes judgements about how to act that can be true or false depending on how facts in the world relate to welfare and other ends.
Both Ethics and Ethical Concepts are Man-Made
An essay arguing that ethical concepts are man-made and can be improved.
How Best to Subdivide Philosophical Ethics
An essay arguing that philosophical ethics should include ‘Particular Decisions’ as a category and explicitly cover all of practical reason.
Jonathan Haidt. The Happiness Hypothesis.
My notes on a book that shows how psychological findings provide a distinctive picture of human nature which can be compared with ancient wisdom and used to provide guidance on how to live.
David Edmonds. Parfit.
My review and notes on a delightful biography of philosopher Derek Parfit.
Alastair Norcross. Morality By Degrees.
My notes on a book that argues that consequentalist ethical theories just judge the degree to which states of the world and actions are better than alternatives.
J. L. Mackie. Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong.
My notes on a book that argues that morality is not objective and therefore that our moral thinking is in error.
Mackie’s Ethics: Right and Wrong
An essay discussing John Mackie’s ‘Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong,’ which strongly influenced my views on ethics, mainly from my reactions against it.
Yes, We Can Reason About Ends
A short essay arguing that we can reason about ends and do it all the time. Only philosophical confusions have made us think otherwise.
Stephen Finlay. Confusion of Tongues
My notes on a bnook showing that normative language has an end-relational nature.
Jonathan Haidt. The Righteous Mind
My notes on a book arguing that our minds are righteous as we make moral judgments instinctively and reasoning mainly confirms our intuitions.
Steven Pinker. The Better Angels of our Nature
My notes on a book that argues that violence has declined over history. Wide ranging and impressive.
Sam Harris. The Moral Landscape
My notes on a book arguing that we should develop a science of morality rather than relying on divine authority or accepting moral relativism.
Peter Singer. The Expanding Circle.
My notes on a book arguing that through reasoning we can take an increasingly impartial concern for the interests of all and broaden the circle of moral subjects to include all sentient beings.
Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek and Peter Singer. Utilitarianism.
My notes on a book introducing utilitarianism.
Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek and Peter Singer. The Point of View of the Universe
My notes on a book that sets out Sidgwick’s utilitarian position, relates it to more recent literature and argues for a modern utilitarianism.
Joshua Greene. Moral Tribes
My notes on a book arguing that we should use utilitarian reasoning to transcend our automatic moral emotions.
Do Value Judgements Have A Simple Nature?
A briefer statement of my view that normativity is end-relational and that appreciating this resolves the mysteries of practical reason.
If Morality Is An Illusion Does Anything Matter?
A paper for my Birkbeck MA arguing that even if morality is not objective, this does not matter, as morality is only a small element within practical reason.
End Relational Practical Reason and Morality – Full Paper
My Birkbeck MA Thesis arguing that an end-relational approach explains practical reason and morality.
End Relational Practical Reason and Morality – Abridged
An abridged version of my Birkbeck MA Thesis arguing that an end-relational approach explains practical reason and morality.
Hume on Reason
An essay for my Birkbeck MA discussing David Hume’s claims about the limited role of reason in morality.
Normative and Motivating Reasons to Be Good
An edited script from a 2021 talk to The Philosophical Society: Oxford. I answer ‘Why Should I be Good’ by distinguishing normative and motivating reasons and set out my approach to ethics.
Practical Reason First
An essay arguing that the starting point for ethics should be practical reason broadly rather than morality.