Pragmatism, constructivism and ethics

Butt, Trevor (2000) Pragmatism, constructivism and ethics. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 13 (2). pp. 85-101. ISSN 1072-0537

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Abstract

Stojnov (1996) has argued that personal construct psychology furnishes us with a universalist, as opposed to a relativist, ethics. This is a universalism of form rather than content of construing: we have a "personal responsibility of knowledge". The author critiques Stojnov's view, arguing that the Sociality Corollary does indeed provide an ethical basis for Kelly's thought. However, he contends that the construct universalism/relativism is of limited value, and that the apparent relativism in constructivism provides a valuable guide to moral construing. It is argued that the certainty that comes from moral absolutism readily leads not to moral action, but to moralism. The foundationlessness of constructivism provides a valuable counterbalance to this moralism.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Schools:	School of Human and Health Sciences
Related URLs:	Author
Depositing User:	Sara Taylor
Date Deposited:	12 Dec 2008 11:35
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2008 11:35
URI:	http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/2940

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