At UNC, both Joshua Knobe and Jesse Prinz are making deep arguments for morality having its origin in the emotions. Knobe brings up Nietzschean metaphysics of the hangman.
I have some doubts about the aims of experimental philosophy, though it’s interesting.
It seems philosophy is at its best in the pursuit of metaphysics (going deeper than physics), not necessarily in the pursuit of emulating physics through empiricism, or scientific method, or experimentation. Metaphysics has deeper legitimacy problems enough as it is…and I’m wondering if this type of thing will advance the field (if there is a field).
It may, however, likely provide some philosophical depth for evo-biologists and cognitive scientists across the land. The pursuit of a secular morality?
Addition: My ignorance shows: I should say, through deep, often rationalist metaphysics pursing “empirical research.” As for Prinz, he has made a case for directing cognitive sciences back toward emipricism.
