Articulating Norms and Values

In contemporary philosophical discourse (ranging from Charles Taylor to pragmatism and the philosophy of mind), the concept of articulation is often used to indicate the process by which an idea or a feeling is made explicit and precise through language. One of the most interesting features of this concept is its ability to suggest a middle path between constructivism and realism. When we say that a mental content or experience is articulated, we typically mean that it is neither created out of nothing nor discovered. Rather, to articulate means to make communicable thoughts or sensations that are already vaguely experienced, but will only acquire more definite contours after being expressed. In this workshop, speakers of various theoretical orientations will discuss whether, and to what extent, we should consider norms, values, and moral standards to be the product of an articulatory process.