De-moralization as emancipation: Liberty, progress, and the evolution of invalid moral norms
Published
Journal Article
© 2017 Social Philosophy & Policy Foundation. Printed in the USA. Liberal thinkers of the Enlightenment understood that surplus moral constraints, imposed by invalid moral norms, are a serious limitation on liberty. They also recognized that overcoming surplus moral constraints - what we call proper demoralization - is an important dimension of moral progress. Contemporary philosophical theorists of liberty have largely neglected the threat that surplus moral constraints pose to liberty and the importance of proper de-moralization for human emancipation. This essay examines the phenomena of surplus moral constraints and proper de-moralization, utilizing insights from biological and cultural evolutionary thinking.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Buchanan, A; Powell, R
Published Date
- January 1, 2017
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 34 / 2
Start / End Page
- 108 - 135
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1471-6437
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0265-0525
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1017/S0265052517000231
Citation Source
- Scopus