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Rights, Moral Values and Natural Facts: a reply to Mary Midgley on the problem of child‐abuse
Author(s) -
ARCHARD DAVID
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of applied philosophy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.339
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1468-5930
pISSN - 0264-3758
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-5930.1992.tb00300.x
Subject(s) - argument (complex analysis) , natural (archaeology) , criticism , character (mathematics) , natural law , law , philosophy , epistemology , moral character , moral rights , sociology , political science , history , geometry , mathematics , archaeology , biochemistry , chemistry , intellectual property
Mary Midgley asserts that my argument concerning the problem of child‐abuse was inappropriately framed in the language of rights, and neglected certain pertinent natural facts. I defend the view that the use of rights‐talk was both apposite and did not misrepresent the moral problem in question. I assess the status and character of the natural facts Midgley adduces in criticism of my case, concluding that they do not obviously establish the conclusions she believes they do. Finally I briefly respond to the charge that my suggestions were illiberal.