objectivism, cont.

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objectivism, cont.

• 7.06.06

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objectivism

• OBJ Ss life is meaningful if Ss life has (or
  certain of its parts have) feature F, where F is
  not merely the feature of being the object of a
  certain mental state
• moderate objectivism
• F includes the feature of being the object of a
  certain mental state
• pure objectivism
• F does not include the feature of being the
  object of a certain mental state

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recall vs. pure objectivism

• Wolf thinks that we need MIVs, but those alone
  arent enough for a meaningful life
• we must invoke mental states as well
• Parfit seems to agree
• if the good things are entirely devoid of
  pleasure or interest for S, then they alone
  cannot make for the best life for S
• What is best for someone, is to be engaged in
  good activities, and to be strongly wanting to
  be so engaged (242).

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2 possible responses

• yes, a meaningful life is at least partly
  fulfilling
• a meaningful life a life having the feature of
  being concerned with mind-independent values
  (good)
• it just so happens that being concerned with
  mind-independent values leads to at least some
  fulfillment
• but the fulfillment is not part of what makes
  life meaningful
• no, a meaningful life need not be at least partly
  fulfilling
• a woman who discovers a cure for cancer and
  brings joy to those around her may have lived a
  somewhat meaningful life even if she wasnt
  actively engaged by, and thus didnt find any
  pleasure in, what she was doing (Metz)
• if either of these responses is at all plausible,
  then pure objectivism is not yet defeated.

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5 pure objectivisms

• Plato
• Aristotle
• Buddha
• Taylor
• Nozick

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platos pure objectivism

• the Good the best at being best
• Gyges ring it may look like the unjust person
  has it made, but he doesnt
• why? because the unjust person lacks a harmonious
  soul, which comes from a life attuned to the Good
• tri-partite soul
• reason
• spirit/passion
• appetite/craving
• PLATO Ss life is meaningful if Ss life is (or
  parts of it are) attuned to the Good.

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aristotles pure objectivism

• everything has a telos, or end/goal (nature),
  which is specified by its characteristic activity
  (see p. 188)
• if something fulfills its telos, then it has
  achieved happiness, or excellence/flourishing
  (eudaimonia)
• it has lived the best life possible for it
• what is characteristic of human beings is reason
  in accordance with virtue
• so, the end/goal (nature) of a human life is to
  exceptionally employ reason in accordance with
  virtue
• the happy life is the contemplative life (cf.
  Gewirths Kantianism)
• ARISTOTLE Ss life is meaningful if Ss life is
  (or parts of it are) spent exceptionally
  employing reason in accordance with virtue.

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buddhas pure objectivism
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buddhas pure objectivism

• when he achieved enlightenment, the Buddha
  realized the Four Noble Truths
• life is suffering
• the cause of suffering is craving (or attachment)
• the remedy, therefore, is to cease craving (or
  attachment)
• the way to do this is to follow the Middle
  (Eightfold) Path
• the Middle Path right view, aim, speech, action,
  living, effort, mindfulness, and contemplation.
• BUDDHA Ss life is meaningful if Ss life (or
  parts of it) follows the Middle Path.

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taylors pure objectivism

• after initially defending pure subjectivism,
  Taylor later reconsidered Sisyphus and found his
  life completely meaningless
• why? because his life is full of repetition and
  lacks novelty
• in particular, he makes nothing beautiful and
  original
• TAYLOR Ss life is meaningful if Ss life is
  (or parts of it are) creative.

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nozicks pure objectivism

• recall the results of Nozicks machine tests
• actually doing things
• experiencing reality
• this suggests that meaning is found in (1)
  transcending limits or (2) making connections
• these limits or connections are ones that take
  one beyond ones animal self
• the CO state line and mafia boss dont count
• making artworks and helping others do
• NOZICK Ss life is meaningful if S transcends
  limits or makes connections that take one beyond
  ones animal self.

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objectivism pros and cons

• pros
• captures Wolfs 2 facts about meaning
• need or longing for genuine worth, value, or
  importance.
• distinction between less and more worthwhile ways
  to spend ones time
• makes meaning not arbitrary
• makes sense of disagreement
• cons
• the argument from queerness
• constraining
• not maximally tolerant

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4 views of the relation between meaning and
morality

• Ss life is meaningful only if Ss life is not
  immoral.
• Ss life is meaningful if Ss life is moral.
• Ss life can be meaningful if Ss life is
  immoral in fact, the morality of immorality of
  Ss life is completely irrelevant to whether or
  not Ss life is meaningful.
• Ss life can be meaningful if Ss life is
  immoral but, the more moral Ss life is, the
  more meaningful Ss life can be.

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can atheists lead meaningful lives?

• if any of the naturalist views weve considered
  so far is even plausible, then it looks like the
  answer is yes, of course
• subjectivism
• pure or moderate
• objectivism
• pure or moderate
• tomorrow well look at this issue in more detail
  (see especially Fales paper).

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today

• vs. pure objectivism 2 responses
• 5 pure objectivisms
• Plato
• Aristotle
• Buddha
• Taylor
• Nozick
• objectivism pros and cons
• meaning and morality

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for tomorrow

• read
• (CP) Parfit, How Both Human History, and the
  History of Ethics, May be Just Beginning
• (CP) Fales, Despair, Optimism, and Rebellion