ImmanuelKant (1724- 1804) distinguished between “phenomena” and “noumena”. Phenomena are things that we perceive though our senses and understand by applying our reason to them. But Kant believed that objects also have an existence in themselves which we cannot directly experience. This is “noumena” or the “noumenal world”. Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) agreed that human […]
Utilitarianism and politics
Summary: However applicable utilitarianism is to the development or assessment of ethics and public policy, in the end, it probably adds little to successful navigation of the political process. In 2010 Professor Peter Singer delivered an oration to the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA). His topic was ‘Ethics & Public Policy’. Professor Singer advocated a […]