AboutJ.M.J. West Expertise I am versed in formal logic and the predicate calculus; Modern Philosophy, Anglo-American Philosophy, Contemporary Philosophy, And Christian/Catholic Philosophy. I can answer questions on - but not limited to - The Pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, The Stoics, the Early Church Era, St. Justin Martyr, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Ockham, Moore, Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Nietzsche, Russell, G. E. Moore, Quine, Rorty, Plantinga, etc.
I also have experience with Philosophy of Religion, Epistemology and other areas.
Experience I have a BA in Philosophy and History, and am continuing my education in both areas while discerning grad school.
Education/Credentials Bachelors Degrees in Philosophy and History, (political science emphasis)
Awards and Honors Cum laude, 1st Annual Harold Parker Award for Excellence in History, Benedictine College.
Are you familiar with Jesse Prinz, emotional construction of morals. If so i just finished reading the preamble to chapter 3. Was wondering if you find anything controversy about what he is saying??
Answer Hi Steph,
I am only vaguely familiar with Prinze, but I understand him to be pushing some form of "emotivism", whereby all morality is relative, which is utter nonsense in this philosopher's opinion. Most people who think the holocaust was actually a bad thing will agree with me.
For a good deconstruction of emotivism, I'd suggest picking up a copy of Alasdair MacIntyre's "After Virtue", wherein the first three chapters or so he completely disarms emotivism as groundless and circular.
Then, I'd pick up a good copy of the Nichomachean Ethics of Aristotle (or St. Thomas Aquinas' commentary on it).
Sorry I can't be of much more help. If you'd like to post a bit of what you're having an issue with, I'd be willing to comment.
