Philosophy
Articles on philosophy, ethics, metaethics, evolutionary ethics, critical rationalism, and the is-ought problem.
Ethics
Articles on the foundations of naturalistic and evolutionary ethics and on the solution to the is-ought problem.
Criticism and Reviews
Critical discussions of philosophical theories, arguments, books, and contemporary approaches to ethics.
Satirical Criticism
Serious philosophical criticism presented with satirical and humorous elements.
Philosophy – Delor
Philosophy, ethics, the solution to the is-ought problem, metaethics, evolutionary ethics, critical rationalism, Quine-Duhem thesis, and Bunge’s systems ontology
The Misconception of Utilitarianism
Why happiness and the minimization of suffering fail as ultimate moral goals, and how the is–ought problem can be solved through an evolutionary reconstruction.
Hume’s Is–Ought Problem and Its Solution
The article explains the is–ought problem and Hume’s proposed solution. It shows why this and other approaches fail, then outlines the solution. The detailed solution can be found in the paper at the end of the article.
A Reading List for Critical Thinking
Why I would start with neither the classics nor well-known contemporary works, even though they have their place on the list. And where I would recommend starting instead and why there in particular.
Professor Hanno Sauer: The Invention of Good and Evil: A World History of Morality
A critique of Hanno Sauer’s The Invention of Good and Evil: A World History of Morality: cherry-picking instead of scientific reconstruction, false game-theoretical foundations, a utopian basic attitude, and the contradiction to the evolutionary solution of the is-ought problem.
As Free as a Turnspit
Why Kant needs acausal free will, why synthetic a priori judgments are impossible, and why the supposed champion of Enlightenment had to suspend knowledge to make room for faith.
The Two Dogmas of Königsberg-7
Why human dignity is truly inviolable, the categorical imperative is categorically correct, and neither says anything about reality.
What Is Philosophy
What Is Philosophy? An Essay on the Self-Abolition of a Discipline A Plea Against Arbitrariness If you want to know what philosophy is, you might consult Wikipedia. What you find there is rather dispiriting. No clear definition, but a …
What Is Quality
What Is Quality? Or: Why We All Know What We Cannot Explain The other day I found myself standing in a B&Q, staring at a shelf of screwdrivers. Twenty-three different models, prices ranging from £2.49 to £38. I picked up the cheapest one, …
How not to Prove Hume's Law
A critical (and slightly satirical) examination of formal 'proofs' of the impossibility of is-ought inferences, using Gillian Russell's 'How to Prove Hume's Law' as an example
Minimum Standards for Productive Philosophical Discussion
Introduction Philosophical discussion differs fundamentally from mere exchange of opinions, ideology, or worldview marketing. It aims at truth-aptness and knowledge acquisition. Where certain minimum standards are absent, what emerges is …