#13 Sarah McGrath: Are there moral experts?

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Sarah McGrath, professor of philosophy at Princeton University. We discuss whether and when it makes sense to defer to others about the answers to moral questions, whether moral deference is any less appropriate than deference in other domains, like math or science, and whether we have reason to think bioethicists are moral experts.

(00:00) Our introduction
(04:28) Interview begins
(08:02) Varieties of moral deference: pure versus impure
(12:39) Outline of Sarah’s view and argument
(20:58) The (ir)relevance of meta-ethics (what ethics is and where it comes from)
(41:13) How to identify moral experts
(50:37) Are utilitarians likely to be moral experts?
(52:32) Does education in moral philosophy make you an expert?
(1:01:18) Practical implications: endowing bioethicists with authority
(1:14:55) Why talk of optimism and pessimism is misguided

Mentioned or referenced:

• Sarah McGrath, Moral Knowledge (especially Chapter 3)
• Sarah McGrath, “The Puzzle of Pure Moral Deference”
• David Enoch, “A Defense of Moral Deference”
• Peter Singer, “Ethical Experts in a Democracy”
• Christine Korsgaard, The Sources of Normativity
• A.J. Ayer, Language, Truth, and Logic
• Gilbert Ryle, “On Forgetting the Difference Between Right and Wrong”

Bio(un)ethical is a bioethics podcast written by Leah Pierson and Sophie Gibert, with editing and production by Ambedo Media (previous production support by Audiolift.co). Our music is written by Nina Khoury and performed by Social Skills. We are supported by a grant from Amplify Creative Grants.