University of Kansas, Spring 2004
Philosophy 555: Justice and Economic Systems
Ben Egglestoneggleston@ku.edu

Class notes: Unger, chapter 7: “Metaethics, Better Ethics: From Complex Semantics to Simple Decency”

The following notes correspond roughly to what we cover, including at least a portion of what I put on the board or the screen, in class. In places they may be more or less comprehensive than what we actually cover in class, and should not be taken as a substitute for your own observations and records of what goes on in class.

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  1. conflicting judgments of the Envelope’s conduct (p. 158.7)
    1. harshness in book
    2. lenience in ordinary life
  2. a selectively flexible semantics
    1. context sensitivity (p. 163.4)
    2. multiple dimensions (p. 164.7)
    3. Primary and Secondary Values (p. 168.2–5)
      • “epistemico-ethical fallibility” (p. 170.8)
    4. how high the “passing” bar is set (pp. 169.9–170.1)