Christine Korsgaard's "The Sources of Normativity" argues that the authority of ethical concepts, which command, oblige, recommend, or guide us, originates from our own autonomy. The book identifies and traces the historical development of four key accounts of this normativity: voluntarism, realism, reflective endorsement, and the appeal to autonomy. Korsgaard examines how each theory, in its early and contemporary forms, addresses the question of where the authority of ethical claims comes from, whether over ourselves or over one another.
By synthesizing these accounts, particularly by building upon Kant's theory, Korsgaard offers her own version of the Kantian account of normativity. This examination reveals how modern moral philosophers have grappled with the grounding of ethical obligation and guidance, ultimately presenting a philosophical journey through the foundational questions of why we are bound by moral reasons.
Key concepts
- Voluntarism — An account of the source of normativity where authority derives from the will.
- Realism — An account of the source of normativity where authority is grounded in objective moral facts.
- Reflective Endorsement — An account of the source of normativity where authority stems from conscious agreement with reasons.
- Appeal to Autonomy — An account of the source of normativity where authority originates from self-legislation.
- Kant's theory of normativity — A view suggesting that ethical normativity arises from our own capacity for self-governance and freedom.