The Value and Criterion Handbook Victory Briefs Textbook: The Value and Criterion Handbook © 2012 Victory Briefs, LLC Victory Briefs Textbooks are published by: Victory Briefs, LLC 925 North Norman Place Los Angeles, California 90049 Publisher : Victor Jih | Managing Editor : Adam Torson | Editor : Adam Torson | Contributors : Priya Aiyar, Stephen Babb, Eric Beerbohm, Fred Carroll, Dr. Ryan Davis, Jeremy Mallory, Jake Nebel, Tara Norris, Christian Tarsney, Marshall Thompson, Peter van Elswyk For customer support, please email [email protected] or call 310.472.6364. The Value and Criterion Handbook Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Part I: Moral Theory .............................................................................................................. 3 Methods of Moral Argumentby Eric Beerbohm ....................................................................... 3 I. The Status of Intuitions in Moral Argument ........................................................................................................... 4 II. Coherence Method of Moral Reasoning ................................................................................................................ 7 III. Moral Relativism ................................................................................................................................................. 11 IV. Types of Moral Argument ................................................................................................................................... 12 V. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................... 20 Consequentialism by Jake Nebel .......................................................................................... 22 1. What is Consequentialism? ................................................................................................................................. 22 2. The Strategic Costs and Benefits of Consequentialism ........................................................................................ 25 3. Arguments For/Against Consequentialism .......................................................................................................... 27 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 29 Kantian Ethics by Dr. Ryan W. Davis ...................................................................................... 30 §1 Content of Kantian Ethics ................................................................................................................................... 30 §2 Grounds of Kantian Ethics ................................................................................................................................... 35 §3 Thoughts about Debate ...................................................................................................................................... 37 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 38 The Moral Philosophy of Immanuel Kant by Eric Beerbohm .................................................. 39 Presenting the Groundwork ..................................................................................................................................... 40 Contention I: Duty and the Moral Law .................................................................................................................... 43 Contention 2: Human Dignity .................................................................................................................................. 49 Contractualism: Consequentialism’s Biggest Critic by Eric Beerbohm .................................... 53 I. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 53 II. Consequentialism’s Appeal .................................................................................................................................. 54 III. Scanlon’s Alternative to Consequentialism ........................................................................................................ 55 IV. Criticisms of Scanlon’s Theory ............................................................................................................................ 61 V. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................... 61 i Virtue Ethics by Peter van Elswyk ......................................................................................... 63 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 63 An Explanation of Virtue Ethics ............................................................................................................................... 64 Debating With Virtue Ethics .................................................................................................................................... 72 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 74 Reading List .............................................................................................................................................................. 75 Moral Obligation and Supererogation by Eric Pai .................................................................. 76 I. Moral Obligation ................................................................................................................................................... 76 II. Supererogation .................................................................................................................................................... 84 A Debater’s Introduction to Metaethics by Christian Tarsney ................................................ 90 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 90 Moral Language ....................................................................................................................................................... 92 Moral Reality ........................................................................................................................................................... 94 Moral Knowledge..................................................................................................................................................... 99 Metaethics in Debate ............................................................................................................................................ 102 Part II: Political Theory ...................................................................................................... 108 Social Contract Theory by Marshall Thompson .................................................................... 108 Background on the Social Contract ....................................................................................................................... 108 Hobbes’ Social Contract Theory............................................................................................................................. 109 Locke’s Social Contract Theory .............................................................................................................................. 112 Rousseau’s Social Contract Theory ........................................................................................................................ 114 Other Notable Social Contract Notions ................................................................................................................. 117 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................. 119 Criticisms of Social Contract Theory by Priya Aiyar .............................................................. 120 Overview ................................................................................................................................................................ 120 Thomas Hobbes ..................................................................................................................................................... 122 John Locke ............................................................................................................................................................. 124 Jean-Jacques Rousseau .......................................................................................................................................... 125 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................................... 127 Theories of Justice by Stephen Babb ..................................................................................