Reasons First

Ethical theory has shifted towards reason in the last five decades, with central theses such as evidentialism and egalitarianism formulated in terms of reasons. Reasons First explores the benefits and burdens of the hypothesis that reasons come first in normative theory, arguing that some of the most important challenges to this idea are themselves the source of some of the most obstinate puzzles in epistemology. Mark Schroeder shows that knowledge provides one of the best cases for the fundamental explanatory power of reasons in normative theory.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 28 September 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

In the past half-century, ethical theory has been deeply preoccupied with a shift towards reasoning. The language of reasons has permeated various fields, including ethics, epistemology, action theory, and numerous related disciplines. It has become commonplace to see central theses such as evidentialism in epistemology and egalitarianism in political philosophy formulated in terms of reasons. Some even argue that the reason's vocabulary is so valuable precisely because reasons hold analytical and explanatory priority over other normative concepts—that reasons, in this sense, come first.

Reasons First delves into the advantages and challenges of the hypothesis that reasons indeed take precedence in normative theory, challenging the notion that theorizing in both ethics and epistemology can only be hindered by neglecting the other. Drawing upon two decades of work on reasons in both ethics and epistemology, Mark Schroeder argues that some of the most significant obstacles to the idea that reasons could come first are themselves the source of some of the most persistent puzzles in epistemology: regarding how perceptual experience could provide evidence about the world and what can make evidence sufficient to justify belief.

Schroeder demonstrates that, alongside moral worth, one of the most compelling cases for the fundamental explanatory power of reasons in normative theory originates from knowledge. He explores how reasoning can help us understand and evaluate the world, providing a framework for making ethical and epistemic decisions. By examining the relationship between reasons and knowledge, Reasons First offers a fresh perspective on the role of reasoning in normative theory and sheds light on the complexities of epistemological inquiry.

Weight: 452g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198900641