Naturalism and deontology: An Essay on the Problems of Ethics

141 Pages·2019·10.192 MB·English

by  D. A. Rohatyn

STUDIES IN PHILOSOPHY
XXVII

NATURALISM
AND
DEONTOLOGY
An Essay on the Problems of Ethics
by
D. A. ROHATYN
Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois
1975
MOUTON
THF. HAGUE • PARIS
©Copyright 1975 in The Netherlands
Mouton & Co. N.V., Publishers, The Hague
No part of this book may be translated or reproduced in any form, by print,
photoprint, microfilm, or any other means, without written permission from the
publishers.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER: 73-92240
ISBN: 90 279 3233 6
Rohatyn: Naturalism and Deontology:
ERRATA
p. 32, 1. 19, delete extreme left-hand bracket from the logical formula
p. 51, fn. 120, read 'prepositions' as 'prop.ositions'
p. 86, 1. 14, change last word on line from 'to' to 'now'
p. 98, fn. 81, 5th line, read'Searly'as'Searle'
p. 98, fn. 81,1. 10, read 'Promising' as 'promising'
p. 99, 1. 5, delete the word 'a'
p. 102, fn. 94, 3rd line, read 'dagmatists' as 'dogmatists'
p. 102, fn. 94,4th line, delete second occurrence of '1' in 'Evil'
p. 103, 1. 26, change 'of to 'on'
p. 119, entry under Baker, change '229' to '299' in pagination

For Stevie,
who knows all about meta-meta stuff

PREFACE
The critics will have no trouble dissecting this work. They will find
hyperbole, vagueness, lack of sound argument and sometimes of argu-
ment itself, sloppiness, discontinuity, and even misinterpretation.
Since enemies are always more numerous than friends, one must sus-
pect, indeed expect, the worst. Dire prognostications about the non-
future of this book are probably correct, but at the same time they
are of very little interest. The main, and perhaps the only redeeming
feature of the present volume is that it raises issues which philosophy
has, to its own embarrassment, neglected. As long as the neglect does
not continue, there will be no reason for further shame. If some of the
ideas (for which no originality is claimed, by the way) presented here
receive a more thorough trial, the effort made will be rewarded. If
not, then it will be up to future generations to see to it that the effort
was not wasted, if they dare.
Without John Donnelly, not one page here would have been writ-
ten. His patience in reading, and painstakingly criticizing, every draft
and early version of each chapter made it possible for it to be done, let
alone possess any conceivable merit. The responsibility for mistakes
and defects is of course entirely our own; but without his help, they
would have been far more numerous, and infinitely graver in conse-
quence. Only his assistance enabled numerous personal obstacles and
limitations to be overcome.
Without the patient support, encouragement and above all, deep
and continued friendship of the person to whom this little treatise is
dedicated, life would not be worthwhile.
D.A.R.
Chicago
January, 1973