Evolutionary Economics and Moral Relativism - Some Thoughts

Binder, Martin (2006): Evolutionary Economics and Moral Relativism - Some Thoughts. Unpublished.

Abstract

Doubts about the decidability of moral questions have often been used as an excuse for economists to eschew any normative propositions. Evolutionary economics, still lacking a well-developed normative branch, gives rise to a form of descriptive moral relativism. This paper wants to explore the consequences of adopting a form of meta-ethical and normative moral relativism as well. It develops a normative position called ‘naturalistic relativism’, which is a naturalistically reconstructed neo-pragmatist form of relativism. The paper also gives an argument why this position seems to be the adequate normative correlate for evolutionary economics.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: evolutionary economics; moral relativism; sensory utilitarianism; continuity hypothesis; naturalistic relativism
• Subjects: Z - Other Special Topics > Z0 - General > Z00 - General; B - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches > B5 - Current Heterodox Approaches > B52 - Institutional; Evolutionary; B - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches > B4 - Economic Methodology > B41 - Economic Methodology