Banca de DEFESA: Paulo Eduardo Paiva Ferreira

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : Paulo Eduardo Paiva Ferreira
DATE: 18/12/2023
TIME: 18:00
LOCAL: Campus Dom Bosco
TITLE:

Is it possible to substantiate the “internalist theory of motivations” through neuroscience?

KEY WORDS:

Metaethics; Internalism; Neuroscience; Moral Epistemology; Moral Ontology; Moral Psychology.

PAGES: 80
BIG AREA: Ciências Humanas
AREA: Filosofia
SUBÁREA: Metafísica
SUMMARY:

This project explains the necessity to analyze the contradiction between internalism theories and the connection between brain processes and moral behavior. The internalism metaethical theory presented to us by Michael Smith tells us that: "If an agent believes that Φ is the right thing to do in circumstance C, then he is also motivated to do Φ in context C." In other words, according to this theory, we can say that a subject considers that x is “right” or “wrong” according to the motivation he manifests about this action. Adina Roskies presents her research saying that neuroscience studies show patients with damage to the prefrontal cortex, these patients are able to generate beliefs about moral issues, but for some reason they fail to act on those beliefs. Therefore, there is a contradiction between the internalism theory and the facts presented by neuroscience.

            On the other hand, when we further investigate neuroscience research in conjunction with moral psychology we find an even bigger problem, some of the known processes that give rise to what we call morality arise in the brain through automatic processes and not through rationality, as Smith and other philosophers tell us. These processes can vary a subject's motivation and reason to act according to the current state of the brain. A brain that has been damaged or has not developed properly may not be able to come to a conclusion that seems to be the best choice for most.

            Thus, the purpose of the project is to investigate this relationship between brain and morality and understand if: Is it possible to substantiate – or even contest – internalism using neuroscience studies?

BANKING MEMBERS:
Interno - 1675333 - ROGERIO ANTONIO PICOLI
Interno - 1716250 - GUSTAVO LEAL TOLEDO
Externo à Instituição - ADELINO FERREIRA