Elise Springer, “Communicating Moral Concern: An Ethics of Critical Responsiveness” (MIT Press, 2013)
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What is Elise Springer's main argument in *Communicating Moral Concern*?
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Welcome to the New Books and Philosophy channel of the New Books Network. My name is Robert Talise. I'm professor of philosophy at Vanderbilt University. I co host the channel with Carrie Figter. Carrie is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Iowa. Today, my guest is Professor Elise Springer. Her new book is titled Communicating Moral Concern and Ethics of Critical Responsiveness. It is published with MIT Press. Springer is an associate professor of philosophy at Wesleyan University. The long tradition of moral philosophy employs a familiar collection of basic concepts. These concepts include agent, act, intention, consequence, responsibility, obligation, the right, and the good. Typically, contemporary moral theorists simply inherit these conceptual materials, and they use them to stake their positions within the terrain the concepts establish.
But we must recognise the possibility. But the categories and distinctions that form moral philosophy's bedrock can nonetheless obscure or distract attention away from salient moral phenomena. Sometimes one needs to fashion new conceptual tools and refashion the old ones in order to get a handle on things. In communicating moral concern, the Elise Springer identifies a sphere of moral phenomena that she claims are as yet under theorized. These phenomena have to do with the activities associated with certain forms of moral criticism. that target not simply what another has brought about, but Nor simply the intentions and attitudes another has expressed by means of action nor But also a concern. With how another has employed her agency.
Springer argues that in order to properly theorize the activities associated with calling attention to the agency of others, moral philosophers need to adopt a collection of new concepts. Communicating moral concern is a systematic and exciting reorientation of moral theory. So let's turn to the interview. Hello, Elise Springer. How are you doing today?
I'm fine. It's a gorgeous day in Connecticut.
Oh, that's nice. It's a pretty nice day here in Nashville too. Thanks for joining me today on New Books and Philosophy.
Thanks for having me.
And thank you, listener, for tuning in to the podcast. Our topic today is Elise's new book, which is titled Communicating Moral Concern and Ethics of Critical Engagement. This is, I should say, uh, from the start, a highly original and very ambitious book, which makes it very refreshing. Um in it at least proposes a uh what seems to me a fairly radical uh reorientation of sort of fundamental concepts and ideas and moral philosophy. Um and the nub of the book is to the the the idea that we need to place at the center of our moral theorizing uh the concept of uh moral concern and a corresponding uh conception of moral gesture and moral critique.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is Elise Springer's main argument in *Communicating Moral Concern*?
0:00–8:07
2
How does Springer critique the traditional moral concepts of agent, act, and intention?
8:07–15:56
3
Why does Springer propose new concepts like moral concern, gesture, and criticism?
15:56–24:23
4
How does the book connect to Strawson, virtue ethics, and moral psychology?
24:23–32:41
5
What role do feminist theory, pragmatism, and Ruth Millikan play in Springer's philosophy?
32:41–40:51
6
How does Springer distinguish moral criticism from ordinary conduct or judgment?
40:51–49:32
7
What is the significance of ‘gesture’ and ‘critical responsiveness’ for moral agency?
49:32–57:34
8
How can Springer's framework address contemporary social and political issues like imprisonment and climate change?
57:34–1:04:17
Speakers
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