Dreams, morality and the waking world

Cowan, R. (2023) Dreams, morality and the waking world. Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, 104(1), pp. 2-29. (doi: 10.1111/papq.12397)

Abstract

Is it ever wrong to cheat in a dream? It has been argued that the conjunction of reasonable claims about dreams with Evaluational Internalism (the view that moral evaluation is determined by factors ‘internal’ to agency, such as intentions) entails a positive answer. This implausible result seemingly provides reason to favour an alternative theory of moral evaluation. I here argue that a wide range of Evaluational Externalist views (which base moral evaluation on factors ‘external’ to agency, such as harms produced) are similarly committed to morality in dreams. I end by identifying implications for theorising about dreams and morality.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cowan, Dr Robert
• Authors: Cowan, R.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Philosophy
• Journal Name: Pacific Philosophical Quarterly
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0279-0750
• ISSN (Online): 1468-0114
• Published Online: 05 December 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 University of Southern California and John Wiley and Sons Ltd
• First Published: First published in Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 104(1): 2-29
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy