Selfhood, intersubjectivity, and the normativity of moral obligations

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dc.contributor.advisorCrowell, Stevenen_US
dc.creatorSmith, William Hosmeren_US
dc.date.accessioned2018-12-03T18:32:30Zen_US
dc.date.available2018-12-03T18:32:30Zen_US
dc.date.issued2009en_US
dc.description.abstractContemporary analytic philosophers inspired by Kant's practical philosophy have recently attempted present a view of moral obligation that traces the normativity of morality back either to the agent's first-personal autonomy (Christine Korsgaard) or the agent's second-personal interaction with others (Stephen Darwall). In this dissertation, I draw these contributions into conversation with the phenomenological approaches of Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, and Emmanuel Levinas. The solution to the “analytic” problem of moral normativity, I contend, is a “Continental” account of selfhood and intersubjectivity found in phenomenology. The framework for my theory of moral obligation is a Heideggerian understanding of the self as “being-in-the-world,” one that is attuned to Levinasian moments (the experience of obligation in alterity) through a rehabilitation of Heidegger's notion of intersubjectivity as being-with ( Mitsein ). The result is a two-part account of the normativity of morality: the ground of morality itself is second-personal—rooted in the ethical demand intrinsic to other persons—while the ground for particular moral-obligations is first-personal—rooted in the subject's avowal or endorsement of certain ethical norms within a concrete historical situation. Moral obligations, I argue, are those standards to which I hold myself in light of the moral demand for respect I find in the experience of others.en_US
dc.format.extent331 ppen_US
dc.identifier.callnoTHESIS PHIL. 2009 SMITHen_US
dc.identifier.citationSmith, William Hosmer. "Selfhood, intersubjectivity, and the normativity of moral obligations." (2009) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/103676">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/103676</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.digital304986462en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/103676en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectPhilosophyen_US
dc.subjectPhilosophy, religion and theologyen_US
dc.subjectDarwall, Stephen L.en_US
dc.subjectHeidegger, Martinen_US
dc.subjectHusserl, Edmunden_US
dc.subjectIntersubjectivityen_US
dc.subjectKorsgaard, Christine M.en_US
dc.subjectLevinas, Emmanuelen_US
dc.subjectMoral obligationen_US
dc.subjectSelfhooden_US
dc.titleSelfhood, intersubjectivity, and the normativity of moral obligationsen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentPhilosophyen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineHumanitiesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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