Practical Commitment in Normative Discourse

Many normative judgments play a practical role in our thought. This paper concerns how their is reflected language. It natural to wonder whether the phenomenon semantic or pragmatic. The standard assumption moral philosophy that at least terms which can be used express “thin” concepts – such as good, right, and ought are associated with certain roles somehow matter of meaning. But this view rarely given explicit defense even articulation. I’ll consider several versions view, argue most promising among them problematic. Terms like often ways where customary absent. Such cases give us choice: either offer some plausible explanation why relevant upshots don’t show up these despite featuring theory for expressions, else build into theory. I explanations requisite sort aren’t forthcoming descriptive semantics metasemantics In closing briefly prospects pragmatic account broader ramifications metaethics normativity.