Postgraduate publication successes

Two of our postgradaute research students are to publish articles in leading international journals.

Elizabeth Ventham’s paper ‘Supererogation and the Case Against an “Overall Ought”’ has been accepted for publication in American Philosophical Quarterly. Here’s the abstract:

This paper argues against a kind of 'overall ought'. The main argument is a version of the paradox of supererogation. The problem is this: obligating an agent to do what’s overall best will, when that differs from what’s morally best, obligate the agent not to do what’s morally best. This, the paper will argue, is implausible. For each of four possible interpretations of this overall ought concept, it will either come across a form of this paradox or no longer look like the targeted ‘overall ought’ concept.

Sophie Keeling’s paper ‘Confabulation and Rational Requirements for Self-Knowledge’ is to appear in Philosophical Psychology. Here’s the abstract:

This paper argues that confabulation is motivated by the desire to have fulfilled a rational obligation to knowledgeably explain our attitudes by reference to motivating reasons. This account better explains confabulation than alternatives. My conclusion impacts two discussions. Primarily, it tells us something about confabulation – how it is brought about, which engenders lively debate in and of itself. A further upshot concerns self-knowledge. Contrary to popular assumption, confabulation cases give us reason to think we have distinctive access to why we have our attitudes.

Congratulations to both on these achievements!