Moral testimony pessimism: A defence

Journal article


Crisp, Roger. (2014). Moral testimony pessimism: A defence. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume. 88(1), pp. 129 - 143. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8349.2014.00236.x
AuthorsCrisp, Roger
Abstract

This paper defends moral testimony pessimism, the view that there is something morally or epistemically regrettable about relying on the moral testimony of others, against several arguments in Lillehammer (2014). One central such argument is that reliance on testimony is inconsistent with the exercise of true practical wisdom. Lillehammer doubts whether such reliance is always objectionable, but it is important to note that moral testimony pessimism is best understood as a view about the pro tanto, rather than the overall, badness of relying on testimony. One must also be clear about what counts as genuine moral testimony: there will be morally charged occasions when a virtuous person will properly rely on the views of others. It can also plausibly be argued that relying on moral testimony may constitute a lack of full autonomy. After discussing some remaining issues concerning the definition of moral testimony, a possible analogy between lying and relying on testimony, and the implications of untrustworthiness for the truth of moral testimony pessimism, the paper ends with a return to the case against relying on moral testimony, grounded on a conception of the role of knowledge and understanding in virtue.

Year2014
JournalProceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume
Journal citation88 (1), pp. 129 - 143
PublisherOxford University Press
ISSN1467-8349
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8349.2014.00236.x
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84902209138
Page range129 - 143
Research GroupInstitute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationOxford, United Kingdom
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8v196/moral-testimony-pessimism-a-defence

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 80
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Shaftesbury, Hutcheson and Mill on Pleasure and Virtue
Crisp, Roger. (2019). Shaftesbury, Hutcheson and Mill on Pleasure and Virtue. In In Varouxakis, Georgios and Philp, Mark (Ed.). Happiness and Utility : Essays Presented to Frederick Rosen pp. 98 - 117 University College London (UCL) Press.
The methods of ethics
Crisp, Roger. (2018). The methods of ethics. Phenomenology and Mind. 15, pp. 48-58. https://doi.org/10.13128/Phe_Mi-24971
Prudential and moral reasons
Crisp, Roger. (2018). Prudential and moral reasons. In In K. Bennett and D. Zimmerman (Ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Reasons and Normativity pp. 800 - 820 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199657889.013.35
Moral rationalism and demandingness in Kant: A response to van Ackeren and Sticker
Crisp, Roger. (2018). Moral rationalism and demandingness in Kant: A response to van Ackeren and Sticker. Kantian Review. 23(3), pp. 429 - 433. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1369415418000237
Higher and lower pleasures revisited: Evidence from neuroscience
Crisp, Roger and Kringelbach, Morten. (2017). Higher and lower pleasures revisited: Evidence from neuroscience. Neuroethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12152-017-9339-2
Commentary on 'Competence in chronic mental illness: The relevance of practical wisdom'
Crisp, Roger Stephen. (2017). Commentary on 'Competence in chronic mental illness: The relevance of practical wisdom'. Journal of Medical Ethics. 43(6), pp. 381 - 381. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2015-103284
Socrates and Aristotle on happiness and virtue
Crisp, Roger. (2016). Socrates and Aristotle on happiness and virtue. In In R. Heinaman (Ed.). Plato and Aristotle's ethics pp. 55 - 78 Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315246673
Rightness, parsimony, and consequentialism: A response to Peterson
Crisp, Roger. (2016). Rightness, parsimony, and consequentialism: A response to Peterson. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. 19(1), pp. 39 - 47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10677-015-9671-8
Rossian pluralism, egoism, and pleasure
Crisp, Roger. (2016). Rossian pluralism, egoism, and pleasure. Etica & politica. 18(1), pp. 119 - 133.
Keeping things simple
Crisp, Roger. (2015). Keeping things simple. In In I. Hirose and A. Reisner (Ed.). Weighing and reasoning: Themes from the philosophy of John Broome pp. 140 - 155 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199684908.003.0011
The Cosmos of Duty: Henry Sidgwick's Methods of Ethics
Crisp, Roger Stephen. (2015). The Cosmos of Duty: Henry Sidgwick's Methods of Ethics Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198716358.001.0001
A third method of ethics?
Crisp, Roger. (2015). A third method of ethics? 90(2), pp. 257 - 273. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1933-1592.2012.00607.x
The duty to do the best for one’s patient
Crisp, Roger. (2015). The duty to do the best for one’s patient. 41(3), pp. 220 - 223. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2013-101861
Nobility in the Nicomachean Ethics
Crisp, Roger. (2014). Nobility in the Nicomachean Ethics. Phronesis. 59(3), pp. 231 - 245. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685284-12341267
Sidgwick and utilitarianism in the late nineteenth century
Crisp, Roger. (2014). Sidgwick and utilitarianism in the late nineteenth century. In In B. Eggleston and D. E. Miller (Ed.). The Cambridge companion to utilitarianism pp. 81 - 102 Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CCO9781139096737.005
Sidgwick on virtue
Crisp, Roger. (2014). Sidgwick on virtue. Revue Internationale de Philosophie. 2014/1(267), pp. 21 - 36.
Taking stock of utilitarianism
Crisp, Roger. (2014). Taking stock of utilitarianism. 26(3), pp. 231 - 249. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0953820814000090
Supererogation and virtue
Crisp, Roger. (2013). Supererogation and virtue. In In M. Timmons (Ed.). Oxford studies in normative ethics: Volume 3 pp. 1 - 24 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199685905.003.0002
Methods, methodology, and moral judgement: Sidgwick on the nature of ethics
Crisp, Roger. (2013). Methods, methodology, and moral judgement: Sidgwick on the nature of ethics. Revue Internationale de Philosophie. 2013/4(266), pp. 397 - 419.
In defence of absolute goodness
Crisp, Roger. (2013). In defence of absolute goodness. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. 87(2), pp. 476 - 482. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpr.12059
Are egoism and consequentialism self-refuting?
Crisp, Roger. (2013). Are egoism and consequentialism self-refuting? In In D. Bakhurst, B. Hooker and M. O. Little (Ed.). Thinking about reasons: Themes from the philosophy of Jonathan Dancy pp. 1 - 16 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199604678.003.0006
Iris Murdoch on nobility and moral value
Crisp, Roger. (2012). Iris Murdoch on nobility and moral value. In In J. Broackes (Ed.). Iris Murdoch, Philosopher pp. 275 - 292 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199289905.003.0011
Reasonable disagreement: Sidgwick's principle and Audi's intutitionism
Crisp, Roger. (2011). Reasonable disagreement: Sidgwick's principle and Audi's intutitionism. In In J. G. Hernandez (Ed.). pp. 151 - 168 Continuum International Publishing Group.
Ethics without reasons?
Crisp, Roger. (2011). Ethics without reasons? In In T. Brooks (Ed.). Ethics and moral philosophy pp. 95 - 106 Brill.
Naturalism: Feel the width
Crisp, Roger. (2011). Naturalism: Feel the width. In In S. Nuccetelli and G. Seay (Ed.). Ethical naturalism: Current debates pp. 58 - 69 Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511894633.004
Pleasure and hedonism in Sidgwick
Crisp, Roger. (2011). Pleasure and hedonism in Sidgwick. In In T. Hurka (Ed.). Underivative duty: British moral philosophers from Sidgwick to Ewing pp. 1 - 26 Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199577446.003.0003
In defence of the priority view: A response to Otsuka and Voorhoeve
Crisp, Roger. (2011). In defence of the priority view: A response to Otsuka and Voorhoeve. Utilitas. 23(1), pp. 105 - 108. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0953820810000488
Virtue ethics and virtue epistemology
Crisp, Roger. (2010). Virtue ethics and virtue epistemology. In In H. Battaly (Ed.). Virtue and vice, moral and epistemic pp. 21 - 38 Wiley-Blackwell.