Skepticism about practical reason

Abstract

Hume and Williams argue that pure practical reason cannot be the foundation of morality because it cannot motivate. I show that all arguments for “motivational skepticism” must presuppose “content skepticism”–the view that pure practical reason has no action-guiding content. If pure practical reason is shown to have action-guiding content, Humean arguments cannot show that rational agents cannot be motivated by it. Skepticism about practical reason cannot be based on motivational considerations alone.