:: Events :: Conference on Objectivity in Ethics to take place at Utrecht University, Netherlands, between March 31 and April 1. Keynote lectures will be given by Allan Gibbard, Sharon Street, Catherine Wilson and Sophie-Grace Chappell.
Registration deadline
Registration for ‘Objectivity in Ethics’ will close at March 1st, or once capacity has been reached. The Organizers invite anyone interested to attend the conference to register via www.evoethics.com/registration.html There is a €50,- conference fee, which includes two lunches, coffee and tea breaks and a reception after the final conference day. A conference dinner will be held on March 31st.
Speakers
Keynote lectures will be given by Allan Gibbard, Sharon Street, Catherine Wilson and Sophie-Grace Chappell. Out of more than 100 submitted abstracts, a review committee has selected 24 abstracts for presentation at the conference. A preliminary program can be found at www.evoethics.com/preliminary-programme.html
Theme
Most of us agree that moral norms are, or should be, more objective than aesthetic judgements or expressions of taste. Ordinary moral judgements contain a claim to objectivity. Their validity is thought to be independent from one’s individual desires or inclinations.
However, philosophers disagree deeply about nearly all aspects of objectivity in ethics. Should we analyse the objectivity of moral judgements in terms of truth or falsity? If so, how should we understand moral truth? How would moral properties fit into our science-based view of the world? Should a conception of moral objectivity be influenced by facts about human nature? Can the empirical sciences contribute to a better understanding of morality’s purported objectivity?
The aim of this two-day conference is to explore the diversity of philosophical doctrines about moral objectivity, and to assess their philosophical and scientific merits.
Practicalities
For further details and practicalities, please visit www.evoethics.com/objectivity-in-ethics-2016 or send an email to evolutionaryethics@gmail.com
Organizing committee ‘Objectivity in Ethics’
– Julia Hermann (Post-doctoral researcher)
– Wouter Kalf (Post-doctoral researcher)
– Jeroen Hopster (PhD candidate)
– Michael Klenk (PhD candidate)
The conference is organized by members of the ‘Evolutionary Ethics’ research group at Utrecht University (The Netherlands), led by Prof. Herman Philipse and Prof. Johan Bolhuis and sponsored by The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).
Tarello Institute for Legal Philosophy 