The ethics of belief and the morality of action: Intellectual responsibility and rational disagreement

Journal article

Audi, Robert. (2011). The ethics of belief and the morality of action: Intellectual responsibility and rational disagreement. Philosophy. 86(1), pp. 5 - 29. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031819110000586
AuthorsAudi, Robert
Abstract

The contemporary explosion of information makes intellectual responsibility more needed than ever. The uncritical tend to believe too much that is unsubstantiated; the overcritical tend to believe too little that is true. A central problem for this paper is to formulate standards to guide an intellectually rigorous search for a mean between excessive credulity and indiscriminate skepticism. A related problem is to distinguish intellectual responsibility for what we believe from moral responsibility for what we do. A third problem is how to square intellectual responsibility in retaining our views with the realization that peers we respect disagree with us. Much of the paper is directed to articulating principles for dealing with such disagreements.

Year2011
JournalPhilosophy
Journal citation86 (1), pp. 5 - 29
PublisherCambridge University Press
ISSN0031-8191
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031819110000586
Scopus EID2-s2.0-79958116781
Page range5 - 29
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
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