Moral progress through progress in moral theory: How utilitarianism has shaped the project of modern moral philosophy

Abstract

In this paper, I will explore a more indirect route in which utilitarianism contributed to (the potential for) moral progress: through its impact on modern moral philosophy. I will attempt to reconstruct and organize various strands of utilitarian though that have shaped the conceptual framework, the principles and the methods of moral philosophy today – i. e. I will reconstruct how moral philosophy became (essentially) moral theorising.

Christian Seidel

Professor