Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

A Moorean paradox of desire

Wall, D. (2012) A Moorean paradox of desire. Philosophical Explorations. 15(1), pp. 63-84. 1386-9795.

Item Type: Article
Abstract: Moore's paradox is a paradox in which certain kinds of belief or assertion, such as a belief that ‘it is raining and I do not believe that it is raining’, are irrational despite involving no obvious contradiction in what is believed. But is there a parallel paradox involving other kinds of attitude, in particular desire? I argue that certain kinds of desire would be irrational to have for similar, distinctive reasons that having Moorean beliefs would be irrational to have. Hence, I argue that such desires, a desire that ‘one have a particular desire that was frustrated’ or a desire that ‘some state of affairs obtain about which one was indifferent’, are a parallel Moorean paradox of desire. I further argue that this analogous paradox has implications for practical reasoning, in particular by presenting a problem for instrumentalism about the objects of desire.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Moore’s paradox, desire, belief, instrumentalism, philosophy of mind, philosophy of action
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General) > B790 Modern > B850 By region or country > B1647.M74 Moore
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BD Speculative Philosophy > BD418.3 Philosophy of mind
Creators: Wall, David
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > School of Social Sciences (to 2016)
Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Applied Social Studies & Sociology
Date: 2012
Date Type: Publication
Page Range: pp. 63-84
Journal or Publication Title: Philosophical Explorations
Volume: 15
Number: 1
Language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13869795.2012.646937
ISSN: 1386-9795
Status: Published / Disseminated
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/4647

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