tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154495438763509967.post8694378313419558951..comments2024-01-28T06:24:50.005+00:00Comments on No Double Standards: "Thomas Reid" on DesirismMartin Freedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16952072422175870627noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154495438763509967.post-18577083337879162262009-11-07T03:06:46.796+00:002009-11-07T03:06:46.796+00:00faithlessgod,
I posted responses to your comments:...faithlessgod,<br />I posted responses to your comments:<br /><br />http://merelymist.blogspot.com/2009/11/response-to-faithlessgod-regarding.html<br /><br />ThomasThomas Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06036155245491027269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154495438763509967.post-56938639761043370822009-11-04T17:25:59.844+00:002009-11-04T17:25:59.844+00:00faithlessgod,
OK, I see the distinction to which y...faithlessgod,<br />OK, I see the distinction to which you're trying to draw attention. Thanks for the clarification.<br />ThomasThomas Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06036155245491027269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154495438763509967.post-85049816698775017752009-11-04T12:41:15.061+00:002009-11-04T12:41:15.061+00:00Hi Dan
You are quite correct. However I am findin...Hi Dan<br /><br />You are quite correct. However I am finding it tedious to repeatedly point out "this is not desirism but DFAU", so I thought an alternative critique was in order. I should have made your point as well.<br /><br />Hi Thomas<br /><br />The issue I had is the you were mixing the descriptive and prescriptive views of the same facts when you said ""good desires are those that <b>promote</b> the fulfilment of other desires".<br /><br />The descriptive view is a desire is labelled good to the extent that it tends to fulfil and not thwart other desires. The prescriptive view is a desire is labelled good to the extent the people generally have reason to promote and not inhibit that desire. Both are views of the same facts but with different emphasis, the descriptive focused on the desires, the prescriptive focused on the people.Martin Freedmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16952072422175870627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154495438763509967.post-49971351806279960542009-11-02T17:28:14.058+00:002009-11-02T17:28:14.058+00:00faithlessgod,
Thank you for your responses. I...faithlessgod,<br /><br />Thank you for your responses. I'll let them roll around in my head for a while before I publish any rejoinders.<br /><br />Just one question. How is my explanation "good desires are those that promote the fulfillment of other desires" different from your explanation "good desires are good only in virtue of them tending to fulfil other desires"? I'm not seeing the difference. Is it just that you are clarifying what it is <i>only</i> that makes them good?<br /><br />Thanks,<br />ThomasThomas Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06036155245491027269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154495438763509967.post-30606916722883547802009-11-02T16:53:53.482+00:002009-11-02T16:53:53.482+00:00Objection #1 sounds suspiciously like desire fulfi...Objection #1 sounds suspiciously like desire fulfillment act utilitarianism, which is an easy mistake to make.<br /><br />The situation talks about how A's desire for X is stronger than B's desire for not X and vice versa, and concludes that either way fulfilling the desire is good. But that's not how desirism works. To evaluate the moral status of the desires, you need to ask whether they tend to fulfill all other desires, not whether making some decision in a particular situation results in the most desire fulfillment.<br /><br />It's possible I'm not reading it right, but the question "Should A's desire be fulfilled?" is a tip-off, since that translates to, if my Alonzo channeling is any good, "would a person with good desires fulfill A's desire?" And the latter question doesn't appear to have much to do with the rest of the analysis.Dan Doelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16761291400347369301noreply@blogger.com