TY - JOUR

T1 - Normatively demanding creatures

T2 - Hobbes, the Fall & individual responsibility

AU - Williams, Garrath

PY - 2000

Y1 - 2000

N2 - This paper explores an internal relation between wrong-doing and the ability to think in moral terms, through Hobbes’ thought. I use his neglected retelling of our ‘original sin’ as a springboard, seeing how we then discover a need to vindicate our own projects in terms shared by others. We become normatively demanding creatures: greedy for normative vindication, eager to judge others amid the difficulties of our world. However there is, of course, no choice for us but to choose our own principles of judgment, or at least some authority to provide these. Unconvinced by Hobbes’ remedies, I conclude with one implication for moral philosophy@ a need to look rather differently at agency and responsibility.

AB - This paper explores an internal relation between wrong-doing and the ability to think in moral terms, through Hobbes’ thought. I use his neglected retelling of our ‘original sin’ as a springboard, seeing how we then discover a need to vindicate our own projects in terms shared by others. We become normatively demanding creatures: greedy for normative vindication, eager to judge others amid the difficulties of our world. However there is, of course, no choice for us but to choose our own principles of judgment, or at least some authority to provide these. Unconvinced by Hobbes’ remedies, I conclude with one implication for moral philosophy@ a need to look rather differently at agency and responsibility.

KW - agency

KW - Hobbes

KW - moral conflict

KW - responsibility

U2 - 10.1023/A:1009697122784

DO - 10.1023/A:1009697122784

M3 - Journal article

VL - 6

SP - 301

EP - 319

JO - Res Publica

JF - Res Publica

SN - 1356-4765

IS - 3

ER -