The Dialectical Necessity of Morality: An Analysis and Defense of Alan Gewirth's Argument to the Principle of Generic Consistency - Hardcover

Beyleveld, Deryck

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0226044823 ISBN 13: 9780226044828

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 1992

Synopsis

Alan Gewirth's Reason and Morality, in which he set forth the Principle of Generic Consistency, is a major work of modern ethical theory that, though much debated and highly respected, has yet to gain full acceptance. Deryck Beyleveld contends that this resistance stems from misunderstanding of the method and logical operations of Gewirth's central argument. In this book Beyleveld seeks to remedy this deficiency. His rigorous reconstruction of Gewirth's argument gives its various parts their most compelling formulation and clarifies its essential logical structure.

Beyleveld then classifies all the criticisms that Gewirth's argument has received and measures them against his reconstruction of the argument. The overall result is an immensely rich picture of the argument, in which all of its complex issues and key moves are clearly displayed and its validity can finally be discerned.

The comprehensiveness of Beyleveld's treatment provides ready access to the entire debate surrounding the foundational argument of Reason and Morality. It will be required reading for all who are interested in Gewirth's theory and deontological ethics and will be of central importance to moral and legal theorists.

About this title

About the Author

Deryck Beyleveld is Reader in the Philosophy of Law, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, at the University of Sheffield. He is the co-author of Law as a Moral Judgment.

Reviews

Gewirth alleges that because rejecting the Principle of Generic Consistency (PGC) necessarily leads to self-contradiction, it is a rationally justified basis for the morality of every actual or prospective agent. Beyleveld begins by explaining the principle's three parts: that an agent's freedom and well-being are his necessary goods; that he has a right to these goods; and that all other prospective agents have these rights. He then twice summarizes Gewirth's argument to emphasize different main features. Thereafter, he examines 66 objections to it, some in multiple versions. Finally, he summarizes his discussion of the objections and explains why he affirms the PGC. Beyleveld's thoroughness, his clear and acute analyses, and his forceful argument contribute significantly to understanding an important issue in moral philosophy. For specialized collections.
- Robert Hoffman, York Coll., CUNY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226044823
• ISBN 13: 9780226044828
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 562