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Author ORCID Identifier
N/A
AccessType
Open Access Dissertation
Document Type
dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Program
Philosophy
Year Degree Awarded
2018
Month Degree Awarded
February
First Advisor
Hilary Kornblith
Second Advisor
Ernesto Garcia
Third Advisor
Peter Graham
Fourth Advisor
Andrew Cohen
Subject Categories
Ethics and Political Philosophy | Metaphysics | Other Philosophy
Abstract
Through the years, many philosophers have appealed to reflective endorsement to address important philosophical problems. In this dissertation, I evaluate the merits of those approaches. I first consider Christine Korsgaard’s appeal to reflective endorsement to solve what she calls “the normative problem.” I then consider Harry Frankfurt’s use of reflective endorsement as part of his account of “caring,” which plays a crucial role in his accounts of agency, free will, and personhood. I then turn to Marilyn Friedman’s use of reflective endorsement to explain autonomous action. Finally, I turn to Alan Gibbard’s use of reflective endorsement as part of an account of what it is to make a normative judgment. I argue that each of these positions is subject to similar problems—they fail to provide a plausible account of the self. In the remaining chapters, I argue that empirical psychological studies suggest that reflective endorsement plays an important role with respect to psychological health, but that judgments made by using a process of reflective endorsement are generally not accurate. Ultimately, I argue that reflective endorsement is valuable, but only under certain circumstances.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/10761717.0
Recommended Citation
Robison, Rachel, "The Philosophical Value of Reflective Endorsement" (2018). Doctoral Dissertations. 1190.
https://doi.org/10.7275/10761717.0
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_2/1190