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Ethical Guidance from Literature and Mathematics
- The Journal of Speculative Philosophy
- Penn State University Press
- Volume 31, Number 4, 2017
- pp. 517-537
- Article
- Additional Information
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Mathematics can help us pursue morally significant ends more efficiently—but it can do more. It can help us elaborate and clarify those ends themselves. For example, while it is not a mathematical theorem that we should deal fairly with one another, mathematics can teach us how best to understand fairness in cases of real consequence. This enlargement of ethical understanding is a social function mathematics shares with literature. As I explore this point of common interest, I will consider three standards for assessing ethical standards: feasibility (a particular concern of Aristotle), testability (a particular concern of John Dewey), and mathematical tractability.