Philosophy 290-3

The seminar will explore the question how the notion of normativity is related to that of reasons. The focus of the seminar will be the instructor’s book-in-progress, “Normativity without reasons,” which aims to challenge the commonly held view that normativity has an essential connection to reasons. We will explore in particular the idea that there is a kind of normativity whose recognition is required for language-learning and concept-acquisition, and which is thus more “primitive” than the normativity that is typically invoked in practical philosophy (notably by Christine Korsgaard in her influential book The Sources of Normativity). Readings are likely to include, in addition to material by the instructor, work by Raz, Korsgaard, Parfit, Burge, Kripke, and Wittgenstein, as well as some work in developmental psychology.