Leiden University Student Repository

Agustoni, Matthieu (2020)

Moral Error Theory and the Zhuangzi

Bachelor thesis | Wijsbegeerte (BA)

Moral Error Theory is the metaethical theory that argues that moral claims are truth-apt, but systematically false. Upon the acceptance of this view, one might wonder what to do with traditional, flawed moral language. This puzzle is commonly called the "now what?" question. This essay extrapolates insights from a 3rd-2nd century BCE Chinese thinker, the Zhuangzi. A novel answer to the "now what?" question, namely "wu wei-ism," is created based on these insights. Lastly, it is argued that wu wei-ism successfully passes the tests some researchers have set to evaluate answers to the "now what?" question.

Moral Error Theory

Zhuangzi

Metaethics

Morality

Now What Question

Wu wei

Author

Agustoni, Matthieu

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Global and Comparative Philosophy

Supervisors

Berger, Douglas

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en