Action Quote by Max Horkheimer
“If the subjectivist view hold true, thinking cannot be of any help in determining the desirability of any goal in itself. The acceptability of ideals, the criteria for our actions and beliefs, the leading principles of ethics and politics, all our ultimate decisions are made to depend upon factors other than reason. They are supposed to be matters of choice and predilection, and it has become meaningless to speak of truth in making practical, moral or esthetic decisions.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Eclipse of Reason, 1947
Subjectivist ethics claim reason cannot assess goals, making moral truth seem arbitrary.
In simple terms: Reason alone can't decide what's good.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of pure subjectivity.
Themes
ethics
philosophy
reason
subjectivity
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- personal decisions
- academic debate
- public discourse
Key Concepts
moral epistemology
political theory
Questions to Reflect On
- Can we find common ground without reason?
- What criteria can supplement subjective choice?
A Different Perspective
Reason still plays a role in shared standards.
