2 research outputs found
Scanlon\u27s Contractualism and Its Critics
This dissertation examines whether Thomas Scanlonâs contractualism satisfactorily explains its intended domain of morality which he terms âwhat we owe to each other.â Scanlon proposes that such interpersonal morality is based on justifying oneâs actions to others by behaving according to principles that could not be reasonably rejected. This idea accounts for two key functions of a moral theory: explaining how moral judgments are made and why agents generally act according to these judgments. After reviewing the nature of constructivist moral theories to show why I chose to focus on Scanlonâs theory, I assess how effectively it fulfills these two roles. I argue that the concept of justifiability is necessary for making moral judgments because it enables agents to determine which of an actionâs attributes are morally relevant and to choose between conflicting principles. However, I also argue that the contractualist procedure is unable to specify principles in certain cases where the aggregation of harms across multiple persons legitimately outweighs an individualâs concerns and in other cases where differences in agentsâ experiences and sensibilities lead to conflicting moral judgments and objectionable relativism. Regarding normativity, I argue that justifiability provides sufficient reason for agents to act in accordance with these principles in most, but not all, cases, even if the agents are not motivated by the contractualist goal of finding common principles. In summary, I conclude that contractualism provides an insightful account of morality, but it is one with several significant defects that cannot be remedied
Lifetime measurement of the 2ââş state in âˇâ´Rb and isospin properties of quadrupole transition strengths at N = Z
Self-conjugate nuclei in the A â 70â80 region have attracted a great deal of attention due to phenomena such as shape coexistence and increasing collectivity along the N=Zline. We investigate the structure of nuclei in this region through lifetime measurements using the GRETINA array. The first implementation of the Differential Recoil Distance Doppler Shift technique with fast radioactive beams is demonstrated and verified through a measurement of the well-known B(E2; 2ââşâ 0ââş)transition strength in âˇâ´Kr. The method is then applied to determine the B(E2; 2ââşâ 0ââş) transition strength in âˇâ´Rb, the heaviest oddâodd N=Z nucleus for which this quantity has been determined. This result and extended systematics along N=Z suggest the dominance of the isoscalar part of the quadrupole transition strengths in self-conjugate nuclei, as well as the possible presence of shape coexistence in âˇâ´Rb