Track Record Arguments in Normative Ethics

Dung L (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Pacific Philosophical Quarterly University of Southern California

DOI: 10.1111/papq.70003

Abstract

Track record arguments (TRAs) contend that it speaks in favor of an ethical theory (such as utilitarianism) if many of its past proponents had moral views that were controversial at their time but which we now consider to be clearly true (e.g., women's equal rights in 18th century Europe). This paper explores how to construct potentially sound TRAs and evaluates their merits. I show that, in principle, TRAs can support the claim that an ethical theory should be used as a guide for making ethically significant decisions, while TRAs for the truth of theories face additional obstacles.

Involved external institutions

Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Dung, L. (2025). Track Record Arguments in Normative Ethics. Pacific Philosophical Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1111/papq.70003

MLA:

Dung, Leonard. "Track Record Arguments in Normative Ethics." Pacific Philosophical Quarterly (2025).

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