scholarly journals Ethical Concepts ‘in Search of a Meaning’: G.H. von Wright’s Broad Framework for (Contextual) Ethics

SATS ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-140
Author(s):  
Lassi Jakola
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Moral Philosophy ◽  
Moral Goodness ◽  
Broad Framework ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Contextual Ethics ◽  
Broad Approach

AbstractThis article revisits G.H. von Wright’s 1963 proposal of a ‘broad approach to ethics’ and his idea that moral goodness is a non-autonomous form of goodness ‘in search of a meaning’. In von Wright’s view, moral notions are to be examined in a broad framework consisting of various groups of ethically relevant concepts. This framework is described and some connections to Elizabeth Anscombe’s work in the late 1950s are identified. It is argued that von Wright’s broadly construed ethics provides tools for understanding contextual and temporal variation of ‘moral points of view’ and puts traditional ideas concerning the nature of moral philosophy in a new light. However, von Wright failed to draw all the consequences of his own suggestions: accordingly, it is suggested that we have to abandon his view of a philosopher as a ‘moulder’ of concepts for a more context-oriented and elucidative conception of moral philosophy.

Contextual Ethics: Taking the Lead from Wittgenstein and Løgstrup on Ethical Meaning and Normativity

SATS ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-158
Author(s):  
Cecilie Eriksen
Keyword(s):  
Moral Philosophy ◽  
Empirical Science ◽  
Philosophy Today ◽  
Human Practices ◽  
Relevant Context ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Contextual Ethics

AbstractA prominent trend in moral philosophy today is the interest in the rich textures of actual human practices and lives. This has prompted engagements with other disciplines, such as anthropology, history, literature, law and empirical science, which have produced various forms of contextual ethics. These engagements motivate reflections on why and how context is important ethically, and such metaethical reflection is what this article undertakes. Inspired by the work of the later Wittgenstein and the Danish theologian K.E. Løgstrup, I first describe one of the ways in which context plays a central role with regard to ethical meaning and normativity. I then examine how ‘context’ is to be defined, and finally I discuss some of the questions which arise when giving context prominence in ethics – namely, how to delimit the scope of relevant context, the relevant traits of a particular context and what ‘the ethical’ is.

Against Ethical Exceptionalism – Through Critical Reflection on the History of Use of the Terms ‘Ethics’ and ‘Morals’ in Philosophy

SATS ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-100
Author(s):  
Hans Fink
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Modern Philosophy ◽  
Moral Philosophy ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Greek Philosophy ◽  
History Of ◽  
Contextual Ethics ◽  
History Of Use

AbstractIn this paper, I aim to support contextual ethics as a broad and open understanding of ethics and the ethical by commenting on the origin of the words ‘ethics’ and ‘ethical’ in Greek philosophy and on the ambiguities built into them from the beginning. I further list some complexities that arose when the Latinate words ‘morals’ and ‘moral’ began to be used in Roman, medieval and modern philosophy, sometimes as synonyms of and sometimes in contrast to ‘ethics’ and ‘ethical’. Finally, I return to discuss the prospects of contextual ethics in the context of developments in moral philosophy in the twentieth century, adding some pragmatist arguments in its favour.

Moral Talking and Moral Living

Philosophy ◽  
1963 ◽  
Vol 38 (146) ◽  
pp. 315-328
Author(s):  
Jonathan Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Moral Philosophy ◽  
Moral Goodness ◽  
Good Action ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Moral Philosophers

People unacquainted with moral philosophy suppose that its business is to tell us the difference between right and wrong. Many moral philosophers, unfortunately, seem to agree with them, to the extent, at any rate, of taking it for granted that there is some one divison of actions into two classes, which division is of some especial or even unique significance. Actions, they have supposed, are either right or wrong. If they are right, then they must and ought to be done, and to do them is our duty. If they are wrong, then they must not and ought not to be done, and it is our duty not to do them. If we do what is right, and do this because it is right, and not just because it suits us, then we have performed a morally good action, and we deserve praise or commendation. If we have done something which is wrong, then we have performed a morally bad action, and deserveblame, and possibly punishment. Finally, a man manifests his moral goodness by performing, from a sense of duty, those actions which belong to the first class, and omitting those which belong to the second class; since there are no other ways in which actions may be classified morally, he has ample oppo tunity for exercising his talents, and the morally good man, or the conscientious man, or the dutiful man, becomes the archetype of what a man ought to be.

Electronic voting: domestic research experience

2022 ◽  
pp. 46-55
Author(s):  
Yu. V. Ukhanova ◽  
E. O. Smoleva
Keyword(s):  
Voter Registration ◽  
Electronic Voting ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Broad Approach

The article is devoted to the analysis of the domestic experience of studying electronic voting. The authors combine all points of view on the concept of electronic voting into two main approaches. The narrow approach focuses on the process of submitting votes electronically. In a broad approach, the concept of “electronic voting” includes the process of voter registration, processing of ballots and counting of votes by electronic means, even if the voting itself was carried out in the traditional way). The article presents the main advantages of electronic voting, a number of problems are noted: technical; value; social.

High Resolution Specimen Area Imaged Under Negligible Field Aberrations

1970 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 540-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Yanaka ◽  
K. Shirota
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Field Distribution ◽  
Image Space ◽  
Beam Deflection ◽  
Objective Lens ◽  
Resolution Limit ◽  
Leakage Flux ◽  
Specimen Area ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Aberration Theory

It is significant to note field aberrations (chromatic field aberration, coma, astigmatism and blurring due to curvature of field, defined by Glaser's aberration theory relative to the Blenden Freien System) of the objective lens in connection with the following three points of view; field aberrations increase as the resolution of the axial point improves by increasing the lens excitation (k2) and decreasing the half width value (d) of the axial lens field distribution; when one or all of the imaging lenses have axial imperfections such as beam deflection in image space by the asymmetrical magnetic leakage flux, the apparent axial point has field aberrations which prevent the theoretical resolution limit from being obtained.

Crystal structure images of large gold clusters and growing crystals by HRTEM

1984 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 428-429
Author(s):  
L.R. Wallenberg ◽  
J.-O. Bovin ◽  
G. Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Nucleation And Growth ◽  
Close Packing ◽  
Gold Clusters ◽  
Molecular Weight Determination ◽  
Growth Mechanisms ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Nucleation And Growth Mechanisms ◽  
Points Of View

Metallic clusters are interesting from various points of view, e.g. as a mean of spreading expensive catalysts on a support, or following heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic events. It is also possible to study nucleation and growth mechanisms for crystals with the cluster as known starting point.Gold-clusters containing 55 atoms were manufactured by reducing (C6H5)3PAuCl with B2H6 in benzene. The chemical composition was found to be Au9.2[P(C6H5)3]2Cl. Molecular-weight determination by means of an ultracentrifuge gave the formula Au55[P(C6H5)3]Cl6 A model was proposed from Mössbauer spectra by Schmid et al. with cubic close-packing of the 55 gold atoms in a cubeoctahedron as shown in Fig 1. The cluster is almost completely isolated from the surroundings by the twelve triphenylphosphane groups situated in each corner, and the chlorine atoms on the centre of the 3x3 square surfaces. This gives four groups of gold atoms, depending on the different types of surrounding.

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