Quests in Modern Moral Philosophy: GEM Anscombe's Theory of Action

Quests in Modern Moral Philosophy: GEM Anscombe's Theory of Action

This study examines Anscombe's moral philosophy as a whole, and from this perspective, examines her observations, critiques, and recommendations regarding existing moral theories. Anscombe published her article "Modern Moral Philosophy," considered her major work in moral philosophy, in 1958. Anscombe's article is organized around the claim that moral theories that break with ancient traditions are incapable of addressing the challenges of the modern age and presents three main theses: It is necessary to proceed through the philosophy of psychology in the field of morality; the question of moral obligation cannot be resolved with concepts such as "duty," "ought," "right," and "wrong"; and there is no difference among philosophers who evaluate moral action solely by its consequences. The first chapter addresses Anscombe's first thesis, that is, "it is necessary to proceed through the philosophy of psychology in the field of morality." Within this framework, Anscombe's philosophy of action, centered on the concept of intention, was discussed, and the concepts of action, self, first person, practical knowledge, practical reason, and practical inference that define this understanding were explored. The second section examined Anscombe's other two theses together. This section discussed the meaning of Anscombe's theses: "The question of moral obligation cannot be resolved by concepts such as 'duty,' 'ought,' 'right,' and 'wrong,'" and "there is no difference between philosophers who evaluate moral action solely by its consequences." This section explored the connections between these claims and ancient and modern moral theories, the meaning of 'consequentialism,' and ultimately, the understanding of all these terms. Ultimately, according to Anscombe, a functional moral theory capable of addressing contemporary problems can only be achieved through psychology. Furthermore, the moral problem cannot be solved with concepts like duty, law, and moral ought, which are remnants of our ancient moral conception, because they cannot address the problems of the modern era. Philosophers/theories who judge moral action solely by its consequences have failed to clarify the issue of moral responsibility by making a distinction between the intended and foreseen consequences of the action.

Keywords: Morality; Ethics; Anscombe; Intention; Action; Moral Obligation; Consequentialism