Validation and Vindication

Abstract

The following schematic dialogue was constructed with the intention of illustrating some of the typical turns and twists which occur almost invariably when argument in moral issues is pursued through successive levels of critical reflection. A more systematic formulation of the philosophical conclusions that may be derived from a study of such justificatory arguments will be presented in the second part of this essay.

This essay is a revision of an earlier (hitherto unpublished and altogether different) version of my essay ‘De Principiis Non Disputandum…?’ included in [Feigl, 1950a]. In ‘De Principiis….’ the problem of justification is discussed not only with reference to ethical principles but also in regard to the more fundamental principles of deduction, induction and the criterion of factual meaningfulness. For an important analysis of closely related issues, see also [Wilfrid Sellars, 1950].