Robert Audi
Encyclopedia
Robert Audi is an American philosopher whose major work has focused on epistemology, ethics
—especially on ethical intuitionism
-and the theory of action. He is O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame
, and previously held a Chair in the Business School there. His 2005 book, The Good in the Right, updates and strengthens Rossian intuitionism and develops the epistemology of ethics. He has also written important works of political philosophy, particularly on the relationship between church and state.
and his MA and PhD from the University of Michigan
. He taught briefly at the University of Texas at Austin
, and for many years as the Charles J. Mach University Professor of Philosophy at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln before moving to University of Notre Dame
as Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Management, and the David E. Gallo Chair in Ethics. He has served as General Editor of the First Edition (1995) and Second Edition (1999) of The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy
. He has also served as the general editor for "Modern Readings in Epistemology", as well as for "Modern readings in Metaphysics".
In an interview for the Brooklyn Friends School
of which he's an alumnus (year 1959), he revealed that his interest in philosophy came from his father, a businessman and Lebanese
immigrant with an interest in philosophy and history. His mother, a medical doctor and faculty at NYU Medical School, was also an influence. "'Both liked to explain and comment on things,' Robert mused, 'and they often entertained people from the diplomatic world and medicine who argued about politics, religion and ideas in general.'"
." He thinks that the foundationalist response is the only tenable option of the epistemic regress argument. This states that if every belief has to be justified by some other, then the only options are four: infinite regress, circularity, stopping at a belief that isn't knowledge, and stopping at a basic belief that is itself justified. If the only alternative is the fourth, then if one has knowledge, one has foundational knowledge.
Audi considers that foundationalism is usually taken to be infallible. That is, it is normally associated with the view that knowledge is founded on basic beliefs that are axiomatic and necessarily true, and that the rest of knowledge is deduced from this set of beliefs. Audi thinks that foundationalism may be fallible, in the sense that the suprastructure of beliefs may be derived inductively from the basic beliefs, and hence may be fallible. He also thinks that basic beliefs need not be necessary truths, but merely have some structure which makes epistemic transition possible. For example, the belief that one is in the presence of an object arises causally from visual perception.
Reference: Audi, "Contemporary Foundationalism".
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
—especially on ethical intuitionism
Ethical intuitionism
Ethical intuitionism is usually understood as a meta-ethical theory that embraces the following theses:# Moral realism, the view that there are objective facts of morality,...
-and the theory of action. He is O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, and previously held a Chair in the Business School there. His 2005 book, The Good in the Right, updates and strengthens Rossian intuitionism and develops the epistemology of ethics. He has also written important works of political philosophy, particularly on the relationship between church and state.
Life
Audi earned his BA from Colgate UniversityColgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
and his MA and PhD from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He taught briefly at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, and for many years as the Charles J. Mach University Professor of Philosophy at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln before moving to University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
as Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Management, and the David E. Gallo Chair in Ethics. He has served as General Editor of the First Edition (1995) and Second Edition (1999) of The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy
The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy
The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy is a dictionary of philosophical terms published by Cambridge University Press and edited by Robert Audi. The dictionary, having been in publication since 1995, is now in its second edition. There are 28 members on the Board of Editorial Advisors and 440...
. He has also served as the general editor for "Modern Readings in Epistemology", as well as for "Modern readings in Metaphysics".
In an interview for the Brooklyn Friends School
Brooklyn Friends School
Brooklyn Friends School is a Quaker school in New York City. Brooklyn Friends School is an independent, college preparatory Quaker school serving a culturally diverse educational community of approximately 700 students, ages 20 months through 12th grade.-History:Founded in 1867 by the Religious...
of which he's an alumnus (year 1959), he revealed that his interest in philosophy came from his father, a businessman and Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
immigrant with an interest in philosophy and history. His mother, a medical doctor and faculty at NYU Medical School, was also an influence. "'Both liked to explain and comment on things,' Robert mused, 'and they often entertained people from the diplomatic world and medicine who argued about politics, religion and ideas in general.'"
Epistemology
Audi has defended a position he calls "fallibilistic foundationalismFoundationalism
Foundationalism is any theory in epistemology that holds that beliefs are justified based on what are called basic beliefs . This position is intended to resolve the infinite regress problem in epistemology...
." He thinks that the foundationalist response is the only tenable option of the epistemic regress argument. This states that if every belief has to be justified by some other, then the only options are four: infinite regress, circularity, stopping at a belief that isn't knowledge, and stopping at a basic belief that is itself justified. If the only alternative is the fourth, then if one has knowledge, one has foundational knowledge.
Audi considers that foundationalism is usually taken to be infallible. That is, it is normally associated with the view that knowledge is founded on basic beliefs that are axiomatic and necessarily true, and that the rest of knowledge is deduced from this set of beliefs. Audi thinks that foundationalism may be fallible, in the sense that the suprastructure of beliefs may be derived inductively from the basic beliefs, and hence may be fallible. He also thinks that basic beliefs need not be necessary truths, but merely have some structure which makes epistemic transition possible. For example, the belief that one is in the presence of an object arises causally from visual perception.
Reference: Audi, "Contemporary Foundationalism".
Monographs
- Belief, Justification, and Knowledge. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1986. (Second edition: 2008?)
- Action, Intention, and Reason. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1993.
- The Structure of Justification. 1993.
- Moral Knowledge and Ethical Character. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
- Epistemology: A Contemporary Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge. London: Routledge, 1998. Second edition: 2003.
- Religious Commitment and Secular Reason. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
- The Architecture of Reason: The Structure and Substance of Rationality. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
- The Good in the Right: A Theory of Intuition and Intrinsic Value. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2004.
- Practical Reasoning and Ethical Decision. London: Routledge, 2006.
- Moral Value and Human Diversity. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2008.
- Business Ethics and Ethical Business. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Coauthored books and edited volumes
- Rationality, religious belief, and moral commitment: new essays in the philosophy of religion (with William J. Wainwright). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1986.
- Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Second edition: 1999.
- Religion in the Public Square: The Place of Religious Convictions in Public Debate (with Nicholas Wolterstorff). Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 1997.
- Rationality, rules, and ideals: critical essays on Bernard Gert's Moral Theory (with Walter Sinnott-Armstrong). Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2003.
Books about Audi's work
- Timmons, Mark, John Greco, and Alfred R. Mele. Rationality and the Good: Critical Essays on the Ethics and Epistemology of Robert Audi. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2005.