Bound by Convention: Obligation and Social Rules

We should assess the social structures that govern human conduct by asking whether they reflect pre-conventional facts about our nature and whether following a convention has desirable consequences. Conventions can also be valuable for their own sake, providing meaning and normative significance to acts and attitudes. Understanding this is essential to a proper understanding of our cultures of neighborliness and hospitality, family structures, property rights, speech, and game rules.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The assessment of social structures that govern human conduct and determine our adherence to their rules is a complex and multifaceted endeavor. One approach to evaluate these structures is to examine whether they reflect pre-conventional facts about our nature. If social arrangements, such as family structures, align with our inherent characteristics and needs, compliance with these rules is likely to serve our interests. These rules are not mere conventions but rather reflect fundamental aspects of our human nature.

Another approach to assess the value of social structures is to consider the desirable consequences that follow from adhering to conventions. For instance, the rule that makes the dollar bill legal tender is a convention, and its widespread acceptance as a medium of exchange ensures the smooth functioning of economic transactions. The usefulness of this convention outweighs any individual preferences, making it a valuable social arrangement.

This work argues that being bound by a convention can also have intrinsic value for its own sake. People seek meaning and significance in their lives, and conventions infuse acts and attitudes with normative significance. Following conventions gives us a sense of right and wrong, appropriateness and inappropriateness, and the ability to navigate social interactions effectively. The absence of conventions would impoverish our social world, depriving us of the richness and complexity of our cultural practices.

To fully understand the significance of social structures, it is essential to appreciate their role in shaping our cultures of neighborliness, hospitality, family structures, property rights systems, speech conventions, public conduct norms, and even the rules of games. These structures provide us with a framework for organizing our lives and interactions, and their absence would lead to a loss of coherence and stability in our social interactions.

In conclusion, the assessment of social structures that govern human conduct requires a comprehensive and nuanced approach. By examining whether they reflect pre-conventional facts about our nature and considering the desirable consequences of adhering to conventions, we can gain a deeper understanding of the value of social structures and their role in shaping our societies. Recognizing the importance of conventions in our social world is essential to maintaining a harmonious and inclusive society.

Weight: 556g
Dimension: 241 x 163 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192896124