Philosophy, Harvard University

Ethics Without Metaphysics

Since the time of Plato, philosophers have sought a metaphysical foundation for ethics, or, failing to find one, have sought to “debunk” the very idea of objective ethics. In this lecture, Putnam will describe the controversy and defends the view that objectivity of ethical judgments needs no foundation external to ethical life itself. Putnam has written extensively on the philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of natural science, philosophy of language, and the philosophy of mind. Many of his papers have been collected in three volumes of Philosophical Papers, in Realism with a Human Face, and in Words and Life. He is also the author of a number of books, including most recently Renewing Philosophy and Pragmatism.