Ethical Constructivism

Ethical constructivism holds that truths about the relation
between rationality, morality, and agency are best understood as
constructed by correct reasoning, rather than discovered or invented.
Unlike other metaphors used in metaethics, construction brings to light
the generative and dynamic dimension of practical reason. On the
resultant picture, practical reasoning is not only productive but also
self-transforming and socially empowering. The main task of this
Element is to illustrate how constructivism has substantially modified
and expanded the agenda of metaethics by refocusing on rational
agency and its constitutive principles. In particular, this Element
identifies, compares, and discusses the prospects and failures of the
main strands of constructivism regarding the powers of reason in
responding to the challenges of contingency. While Kantian, Humean,
Aristotelian, and Hegelian theories sharply differ in their constructivist
strategies, they provide compelling accounts of the rational articulation
required for an inclusive and unified ethical community.