Kirsten Meyer - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Kirsten Meyer
Routledge eBooks, Jun 27, 2022
The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophica... more The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophical debate about the justice of school systems. It is striking that despite the centrality of the notion of 'talent' in these debates, the concept is hardly ever explicated. I will suggest two explications: First, philosophers who point to different talents often assume that these are somehow fixed potentials that pose limits to what someone can achieve. According to this understanding, no matter how hard someone tries, she simply cannot perform well due to a lack of talent. Second, talking about different talents can be understood as saying that two students who will receive the same amount of educational resources are nevertheless expected to perform differently in the future. In the public as well as the philosophical debate it is common to assume that educational prospects should be equalized when it comes to unequal social backgrounds, but not when it comes to unequal talents. In this paper, I put into question three reasons that could speak in favor of this assumption: the first refers to the connection between talents and limits, the second to the relation between talents and the transformation of resources and the last one to the idea that talents somehow go back to the person's true self.
Ethical Theory and Moral Practice
The development of reasoning skills is often regarded as a central goal of ethics and philosophy ... more The development of reasoning skills is often regarded as a central goal of ethics and philosophy classes in school education. In light of recent studies from the field of moral psychology, however, it could be objected that the promotion of such skills might fail to meet another important objective, namely the moral education of students. In this paper, I will argue against such pessimism by suggesting that the fostering of reasoning skills can still contribute to the aims of moral education. To do so, I will engage with the concept of moral education, point out different ways in which reasoning skills play an essential role in it, and support these considerations by appealing to further empirical studies. My conclusion will be that the promotion of ethical reasoning skills fulfils two important aims of moral education: First, it enables students to critically reflect on their ethical beliefs. Second, it allows them to explore ethical questions in a joint conversation with others. L...
The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophica... more The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophical debate about the justice of school systems. It is striking that despite the centrality of the notion of 'talent' in these debates, the concept is hardly ever explicated. I will suggest two explications: First, philosophers who point to different talents often assume that these are somehow fixed potentials that pose limits to what someone can achieve. According to this understanding, no matter how hard someone tries, she simply cannot perform well due to a lack of talent. Second, talking about different talents can be understood as saying that two students who will receive the same amount of educational resources are nevertheless expected to perform differently in the future. In the public as well as the philosophical debate it is common to assume that educational prospects should be equalized when it comes to unequal social backgrounds, but not when it comes to unequal talents....
Geoengineering aims at a large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counte... more Geoengineering aims at a large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counteract climate change. Different ethical worries concerning geoengineering have been formulated. Amongst these a core wrong is often believed to be captured by a certain character trait, namely hubris. The value of referring to the concept of hubris, however, is not at all clear. What exactly does this concept entail, and what is its merit in evaluating proposals of geoengineering? This paper analyses the concept of hubris. It then argues that referring to this concept does indeed add an important perspective to an evaluation of the various proposals for geoengineering.
In diesem Aufsatz geht es um eine Analyse der Argumente zugunsten von Hochbegabtenförderung. Dies... more In diesem Aufsatz geht es um eine Analyse der Argumente zugunsten von Hochbegabtenförderung. Diese wird einerseits mit dem Verweis auf das Gemeinwohl begründet und andererseits damit, dass sie den Hochbegabten selbst geschuldet sei. Im Folgenden liegt der Schwerpunkt auf der Analyse solcher pädagogischer Argumente, welche die Hochbegabtenförderung mit Forderungen der Chancengleichheit oder Gerechtigkeit begründen. Dabei wird sich zeigen, dass die Analyse dieser Argumente um eine wichtige Perspektive ergänzt werden muss: Der Begabungsbegriff muss genauer in den Blick genommen und mit den Argumenten für die Hochbegabtenförderung abgeglichen werden. Die hier vorgelegte Analyse weckt auf diese Weise Zweifel an der Behauptung, dass die Hochbegabtenförderung ein Gebot der Gerechtigkeit sei. (DIPF/Orig.)
Neue bildungspolitische Debatten und alte philosophische Fragen. Der Beitrag der Bildungsphilosophie zur Bildungspolitik
Bildungsphilosophie
Die moralische Bewertung humanitärer Interventionen
Humanitarian interventions aim at saving human lives, but they also take human lives. The death o... more Humanitarian interventions aim at saving human lives, but they also take human lives. The death of innocent people is an unintended but foreseen consequence of military actions. Can this be morally justified? Those who argue from a deontological perspective and give an affirmative answer to this question, point to the Principle of Double Effect (PDE). Others, also arguing from a deontological perspective, nevertheless reject the PDE and give a negative answer to the above question. In this paper I argue that an adequate interpretation of the PDE brings these two positions closer together. A deontological (rather than the prevalent consequentialist) interpretation of the reference to proportionality within the PDE should bring even the proponents of the PDE to an approximately pacifist position.
Geoengineering aims at a large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counte... more Geoengineering aims at a large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counteract climate change. Different ethical worries concerning geoengineering have been formulated. Amongst these a core wrong is often believed to be captured by a certain character trait, namely hubris. The value of referring to the concept of hubris, however, is not at all clear. What exactly does this concept entail, and what is its merit in evaluating proposals of geoengineering? This paper analyses the concept of hubris. It then argues that referring to this concept does indeed add an important perspective to an evaluation of the various proposals for geoengineering.
Repliken zu den Kommentaren
Zeitschrift für philosophische Forschung
The Claims of Future Persons
Erkenntnis, 2017
This paper defends a deontological egalitarianism in the ethics of future generations. Concerns a... more This paper defends a deontological egalitarianism in the ethics of future generations. Concerns about the non-identity problem have been taken as a reason to develop sufficientarian approaches to intergenerational justice. This paper argues for a solution to the non-identity problem that refers to the claims of future persons. In principle, the content of these claims could be spelled out with a sufficientarian and an egalitarian approach. What speaks against sufficientarianism, however, is that the sufficiency threshold, unless it is set very low, would have to be set arbitrarily. The hidden justification behind a higher threshold would be egalitarian. It draws its plausibility from the justified belief that future persons have a claim on us that we leave equally valuable shares of natural resources to them.
Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik
Nutzungsbedingungen: Dieser Text wird unter einer Deposit-Lizenz (Keine Weiterverbreitung-keine B... more Nutzungsbedingungen: Dieser Text wird unter einer Deposit-Lizenz (Keine Weiterverbreitung-keine Bearbeitung) zur Verfügung gestellt. Gewährt wird ein nicht exklusives, nicht übertragbares, persönliches und beschränktes Recht auf Nutzung dieses Dokuments. Dieses Dokument ist ausschließlich für den persönlichen, nicht-kommerziellen Gebrauch bestimmt. Auf sämtlichen Kopien dieses Dokuments müssen alle Urheberrechtshinweise und sonstigen Hinweise auf gesetzlichen Schutz beibehalten werden. Sie dürfen dieses Dokument nicht in irgendeiner Weise abändern, noch dürfen Sie dieses Dokument für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, aufführen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. Mit der Verwendung dieses Dokuments erkennen Sie die Nutzungsbedingungen an. Terms of use: This document is made available under Deposit Licence (No Redistribution-no modifications). We grant a non-exclusive, nontransferable, individual and limited right to using this document. This document is solely intended for your personal, noncommercial use. All of the copies of this documents must retain all copyright information and other information regarding legal protection. You are not allowed to alter this document in any way, to copy it for public or commercial purposes, to exhibit the document in public, to perform, distribute or otherwise use the document in public. By using this particular document, you accept the above-stated conditions of use.
Ökologisches Wirtschaften - Fachzeitschrift
Wer sollte wie viel zum Klimaschutz beitragen? Was wäre gerecht? Bei der Beantwortung dieser Frag... more Wer sollte wie viel zum Klimaschutz beitragen? Was wäre gerecht? Bei der Beantwortung dieser Fragen stehen sich verschiedene theoretische Ansätze gegenüber. Ist es den Zielen des Klimaschutzes zuträglicher, auf das Pro-Kopf-Prinzip oder auf die kollektive Verantwortung der Industrieländer zu verweisen?
Educational Philosophy and Theory
The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophica... more The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophical debate about the justice of school systems. It is striking that despite the centrality of the notion of 'talent' in these debates, the concept is hardly ever explicated. I will suggest two explications: First, philosophers who point to different talents often assume that these are somehow fixed potentials that pose limits to what someone can achieve. According to this understanding, no matter how hard someone tries, she simply cannot perform well due to a lack of talent. Second, talking about different talents can be understood as saying that two students who will receive the same amount of educational resources are nevertheless expected to perform differently in the future. In the public as well as the philosophical debate it is common to assume that educational prospects should be equalized when it comes to unequal social backgrounds, but not when it comes to unequal talents. In this paper, I put into question three reasons that could speak in favor of this assumption: the first refers to the connection between talents and limits, the second to the relation between talents and the transformation of resources and the last one to the idea that talents somehow go back to the person's true self.
Why should we demand equality of educational opportunity?
Theory and Research in Education, 2016
This paper reveals how equal educational opportunities, equal job opportunities and equality of o... more This paper reveals how equal educational opportunities, equal job opportunities and equality of opportunity for welfare are related to each other, and how they are related to other demands for justice. There are several important objections to the emphasis on equal educational opportunities. Nevertheless, this paper shows that demanding equal educational opportunities is unavoidable when advocating greater educational justice. Neither demands for equal educational resources nor demands for equal educational outcomes can adequately replace the demand for equal educational opportunities. For this reason, equality of opportunity in education remains an important ideal, even though it has the potential to cause damage and should therefore be taken with great caution. First, the demand for equal educational opportunities can lead to prematurely attributing unequal educational outcomes, which could have been avoided, to unequal talent and effort. Second, this demand creates the tendency t...
Der Wert der Natur: Begründungsvielfalt im Naturschutz
Biologie, Genese und Geltung der Moral
Philosophia Naturalis, 2007
... Evolution altruistischen Verhaltens ist der reziproke Altruismus.2 Hier ist das altruistische... more ... Evolution altruistischen Verhaltens ist der reziproke Altruismus.2 Hier ist das altruistische Ver halten zwar unmittelbar nachteilig für das Individuum, langfristig aber doch vorteilhaft, weil es dadurch erwarten kann, daß sich andere ihm gegenüber ebenfalls altruistisch verhalten. ...
Die moralische Bewertung humanitärer Interventionen
Pacifism and Moral Judgment
Actions, Reasons and Reason, 2015
Moralische Bildung im Philosophie- und Ethikunterricht
Sozialerziehung in der Schule, 2011
Routledge eBooks, Jun 27, 2022
The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophica... more The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophical debate about the justice of school systems. It is striking that despite the centrality of the notion of 'talent' in these debates, the concept is hardly ever explicated. I will suggest two explications: First, philosophers who point to different talents often assume that these are somehow fixed potentials that pose limits to what someone can achieve. According to this understanding, no matter how hard someone tries, she simply cannot perform well due to a lack of talent. Second, talking about different talents can be understood as saying that two students who will receive the same amount of educational resources are nevertheless expected to perform differently in the future. In the public as well as the philosophical debate it is common to assume that educational prospects should be equalized when it comes to unequal social backgrounds, but not when it comes to unequal talents. In this paper, I put into question three reasons that could speak in favor of this assumption: the first refers to the connection between talents and limits, the second to the relation between talents and the transformation of resources and the last one to the idea that talents somehow go back to the person's true self.
Ethical Theory and Moral Practice
The development of reasoning skills is often regarded as a central goal of ethics and philosophy ... more The development of reasoning skills is often regarded as a central goal of ethics and philosophy classes in school education. In light of recent studies from the field of moral psychology, however, it could be objected that the promotion of such skills might fail to meet another important objective, namely the moral education of students. In this paper, I will argue against such pessimism by suggesting that the fostering of reasoning skills can still contribute to the aims of moral education. To do so, I will engage with the concept of moral education, point out different ways in which reasoning skills play an essential role in it, and support these considerations by appealing to further empirical studies. My conclusion will be that the promotion of ethical reasoning skills fulfils two important aims of moral education: First, it enables students to critically reflect on their ethical beliefs. Second, it allows them to explore ethical questions in a joint conversation with others. L...
The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophica... more The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophical debate about the justice of school systems. It is striking that despite the centrality of the notion of 'talent' in these debates, the concept is hardly ever explicated. I will suggest two explications: First, philosophers who point to different talents often assume that these are somehow fixed potentials that pose limits to what someone can achieve. According to this understanding, no matter how hard someone tries, she simply cannot perform well due to a lack of talent. Second, talking about different talents can be understood as saying that two students who will receive the same amount of educational resources are nevertheless expected to perform differently in the future. In the public as well as the philosophical debate it is common to assume that educational prospects should be equalized when it comes to unequal social backgrounds, but not when it comes to unequal talents....
Geoengineering aims at a large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counte... more Geoengineering aims at a large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counteract climate change. Different ethical worries concerning geoengineering have been formulated. Amongst these a core wrong is often believed to be captured by a certain character trait, namely hubris. The value of referring to the concept of hubris, however, is not at all clear. What exactly does this concept entail, and what is its merit in evaluating proposals of geoengineering? This paper analyses the concept of hubris. It then argues that referring to this concept does indeed add an important perspective to an evaluation of the various proposals for geoengineering.
In diesem Aufsatz geht es um eine Analyse der Argumente zugunsten von Hochbegabtenförderung. Dies... more In diesem Aufsatz geht es um eine Analyse der Argumente zugunsten von Hochbegabtenförderung. Diese wird einerseits mit dem Verweis auf das Gemeinwohl begründet und andererseits damit, dass sie den Hochbegabten selbst geschuldet sei. Im Folgenden liegt der Schwerpunkt auf der Analyse solcher pädagogischer Argumente, welche die Hochbegabtenförderung mit Forderungen der Chancengleichheit oder Gerechtigkeit begründen. Dabei wird sich zeigen, dass die Analyse dieser Argumente um eine wichtige Perspektive ergänzt werden muss: Der Begabungsbegriff muss genauer in den Blick genommen und mit den Argumenten für die Hochbegabtenförderung abgeglichen werden. Die hier vorgelegte Analyse weckt auf diese Weise Zweifel an der Behauptung, dass die Hochbegabtenförderung ein Gebot der Gerechtigkeit sei. (DIPF/Orig.)
Neue bildungspolitische Debatten und alte philosophische Fragen. Der Beitrag der Bildungsphilosophie zur Bildungspolitik
Bildungsphilosophie
Die moralische Bewertung humanitärer Interventionen
Humanitarian interventions aim at saving human lives, but they also take human lives. The death o... more Humanitarian interventions aim at saving human lives, but they also take human lives. The death of innocent people is an unintended but foreseen consequence of military actions. Can this be morally justified? Those who argue from a deontological perspective and give an affirmative answer to this question, point to the Principle of Double Effect (PDE). Others, also arguing from a deontological perspective, nevertheless reject the PDE and give a negative answer to the above question. In this paper I argue that an adequate interpretation of the PDE brings these two positions closer together. A deontological (rather than the prevalent consequentialist) interpretation of the reference to proportionality within the PDE should bring even the proponents of the PDE to an approximately pacifist position.
Geoengineering aims at a large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counte... more Geoengineering aims at a large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counteract climate change. Different ethical worries concerning geoengineering have been formulated. Amongst these a core wrong is often believed to be captured by a certain character trait, namely hubris. The value of referring to the concept of hubris, however, is not at all clear. What exactly does this concept entail, and what is its merit in evaluating proposals of geoengineering? This paper analyses the concept of hubris. It then argues that referring to this concept does indeed add an important perspective to an evaluation of the various proposals for geoengineering.
Repliken zu den Kommentaren
Zeitschrift für philosophische Forschung
The Claims of Future Persons
Erkenntnis, 2017
This paper defends a deontological egalitarianism in the ethics of future generations. Concerns a... more This paper defends a deontological egalitarianism in the ethics of future generations. Concerns about the non-identity problem have been taken as a reason to develop sufficientarian approaches to intergenerational justice. This paper argues for a solution to the non-identity problem that refers to the claims of future persons. In principle, the content of these claims could be spelled out with a sufficientarian and an egalitarian approach. What speaks against sufficientarianism, however, is that the sufficiency threshold, unless it is set very low, would have to be set arbitrarily. The hidden justification behind a higher threshold would be egalitarian. It draws its plausibility from the justified belief that future persons have a claim on us that we leave equally valuable shares of natural resources to them.
Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik
Nutzungsbedingungen: Dieser Text wird unter einer Deposit-Lizenz (Keine Weiterverbreitung-keine B... more Nutzungsbedingungen: Dieser Text wird unter einer Deposit-Lizenz (Keine Weiterverbreitung-keine Bearbeitung) zur Verfügung gestellt. Gewährt wird ein nicht exklusives, nicht übertragbares, persönliches und beschränktes Recht auf Nutzung dieses Dokuments. Dieses Dokument ist ausschließlich für den persönlichen, nicht-kommerziellen Gebrauch bestimmt. Auf sämtlichen Kopien dieses Dokuments müssen alle Urheberrechtshinweise und sonstigen Hinweise auf gesetzlichen Schutz beibehalten werden. Sie dürfen dieses Dokument nicht in irgendeiner Weise abändern, noch dürfen Sie dieses Dokument für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, aufführen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. Mit der Verwendung dieses Dokuments erkennen Sie die Nutzungsbedingungen an. Terms of use: This document is made available under Deposit Licence (No Redistribution-no modifications). We grant a non-exclusive, nontransferable, individual and limited right to using this document. This document is solely intended for your personal, noncommercial use. All of the copies of this documents must retain all copyright information and other information regarding legal protection. You are not allowed to alter this document in any way, to copy it for public or commercial purposes, to exhibit the document in public, to perform, distribute or otherwise use the document in public. By using this particular document, you accept the above-stated conditions of use.
Ökologisches Wirtschaften - Fachzeitschrift
Wer sollte wie viel zum Klimaschutz beitragen? Was wäre gerecht? Bei der Beantwortung dieser Frag... more Wer sollte wie viel zum Klimaschutz beitragen? Was wäre gerecht? Bei der Beantwortung dieser Fragen stehen sich verschiedene theoretische Ansätze gegenüber. Ist es den Zielen des Klimaschutzes zuträglicher, auf das Pro-Kopf-Prinzip oder auf die kollektive Verantwortung der Industrieländer zu verweisen?
Educational Philosophy and Theory
The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophica... more The assumption that students are differently talented often underlies the public and philosophical debate about the justice of school systems. It is striking that despite the centrality of the notion of 'talent' in these debates, the concept is hardly ever explicated. I will suggest two explications: First, philosophers who point to different talents often assume that these are somehow fixed potentials that pose limits to what someone can achieve. According to this understanding, no matter how hard someone tries, she simply cannot perform well due to a lack of talent. Second, talking about different talents can be understood as saying that two students who will receive the same amount of educational resources are nevertheless expected to perform differently in the future. In the public as well as the philosophical debate it is common to assume that educational prospects should be equalized when it comes to unequal social backgrounds, but not when it comes to unequal talents. In this paper, I put into question three reasons that could speak in favor of this assumption: the first refers to the connection between talents and limits, the second to the relation between talents and the transformation of resources and the last one to the idea that talents somehow go back to the person's true self.
Why should we demand equality of educational opportunity?
Theory and Research in Education, 2016
This paper reveals how equal educational opportunities, equal job opportunities and equality of o... more This paper reveals how equal educational opportunities, equal job opportunities and equality of opportunity for welfare are related to each other, and how they are related to other demands for justice. There are several important objections to the emphasis on equal educational opportunities. Nevertheless, this paper shows that demanding equal educational opportunities is unavoidable when advocating greater educational justice. Neither demands for equal educational resources nor demands for equal educational outcomes can adequately replace the demand for equal educational opportunities. For this reason, equality of opportunity in education remains an important ideal, even though it has the potential to cause damage and should therefore be taken with great caution. First, the demand for equal educational opportunities can lead to prematurely attributing unequal educational outcomes, which could have been avoided, to unequal talent and effort. Second, this demand creates the tendency t...
Der Wert der Natur: Begründungsvielfalt im Naturschutz
Biologie, Genese und Geltung der Moral
Philosophia Naturalis, 2007
... Evolution altruistischen Verhaltens ist der reziproke Altruismus.2 Hier ist das altruistische... more ... Evolution altruistischen Verhaltens ist der reziproke Altruismus.2 Hier ist das altruistische Ver halten zwar unmittelbar nachteilig für das Individuum, langfristig aber doch vorteilhaft, weil es dadurch erwarten kann, daß sich andere ihm gegenüber ebenfalls altruistisch verhalten. ...
Die moralische Bewertung humanitärer Interventionen
Pacifism and Moral Judgment
Actions, Reasons and Reason, 2015
Moralische Bildung im Philosophie- und Ethikunterricht
Sozialerziehung in der Schule, 2011