The construction of an ethical theory, as a general matter, inevitably implicates philosophical theology.
Author: Matthew O'Brien (Matthew O'Brien)
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God and Moral Absolutes
If appeals to God get ruled out, either by disbelief in his existence or reluctance to rely upon it, then it isn’t possible to demonstrate that there are moral absolutes.
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Who’s Afraid of Metaphysics?
Metaphysics provides the crucial foundation for natural law, and our current intellectual climate is ripe for embracing metaphysical foundations once again. The third in a three-part series.
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Moral Absolutes and the Humpty Dumpty Fallacy
Acts are not made good or bad by our mere say-so. We must also examine the objective intention of our actions. The second in a three-part series.
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What Does it Mean to be a ‘Political Animal’?
A notion of “social practice” should guide the way we think about morality and politics. The first in a three-part series.
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Moral Principles and Human Happiness
Moral principles should be derived from experience about what makes people happy, not from logic.
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The Ambitions of Natural Law Ethics: A Reply to Arkes
What's unnatural about the Kantian take on natural law.
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Constitutional Illusions
A new book by Hadley Arkes draws attention to the contradictions and ambiguities of the republic’s jurisprudence.