George Sher

Bio: George Sher is an academic researcher from Rice University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Morality & Philosophy of mind. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 58 publications receiving 1567 citations. Previous affiliations of George Sher include University of Vermont.

Out of Control

Abstract: Incompatibilists affirm, while compatibilists deny, that the truth of determinism would mean that we lack control over, and so are not responsible for, any of our actions. Though defined as opposites, compatibilism and incompatibilism both treat determinism as the main threat to our having enough control over our actions to be morally responsible for them. Here, by contrast, I want to call attention to another, less exotic threat to our having that much control. There are, I will argue, many everyday contexts in which we hold agents responsible for their acts even though considerations unrelated to determinism strongly suggest that they cannot help performing them. These contexts may not prevent us from specifying a conception of control that preserves our standard judgments of responsibility, but they do make that task even more difficult than is generally appreciated.

Beyond Neutrality: Perfectionism and Politics

Abstract: 1. Introduction 2. The principle of neutrality 3. Autonomy and neutrality (1) 4. Autonomy and neutrality (2) 5. Prophylactic neutrality 6. Knowing about the good 7. Three grades of social involvement 8. Against subjectivism 9. Perfectionism: a theory 10. Conclusion.

Who Knew?: Responsibility Without Awareness

Abstract: Acknowledgements 1. The Searchlight View 2. Responsibility Without Awareness 3. Responsibility and Practical Reason 4. Kantian Fairness 5. Knew-Or Should Have Known? 6. A New Beginning 7. Setting the Norms of Recognition 8. The Responsible Self 9. Out of Control Index

In Praise of Blame

Abstract: Blame is an unpopular and neglected notion: it goes against the grain of a therapeutically-oriented culture and has been far less discussed by philosophers than such related notions as responsibility and punishment. This book seeks to show that neither the opposition nor the neglect is justified. The book's most important conclusion is that blame is inseperable from morality itself - that any considerations that justify us in accepting a set of moral principles must also call for the condemnation of those who violate the principles. Properly understood, blame and morality must stand or fall together.

The emotional dog and its rational tail: a social intuitionist approach to moral judgment.

Abstract: Research on moral judgment has been dominated by rationalist models, in which moral judgment is thought to be caused by moral reasoning. The author gives 4 reasons for considering the hypothesis that moral reasoning does not cause moral judgment; rather, moral reasoning is usually a post hoc construction, generated after a judgment has been reached. The social intuitionist model is presented as an alternative to rationalist models. The model is a social model in that it deemphasizes the private reasoning done by individuals and emphasizes instead the importance of social and cultural influences. The model is an intuitionist model in that it states that moral judgment is generally the result of quick, automatic evaluations (intuitions). The model is more consistent than rationalist models with recent findings in social, cultural, evolutionary, and biological psychology, as well as in anthropology and primatology.

The Rediscovery of the Mind

Abstract: What's wrong with the philosophy of mind the recent history of materialism - the same mistake over and over, appendix - is there a problem about folk psychology? breaking the hold - silicon brains, conscious robots, and other minds consciousness and its place in nature reductionism and the irreducibility of consciousness the structure of consciousness - an introduction the unconscious and its relation to consciousness consciousness, intentionality and the background the critique of cognitive reason the proper study.

Feedback Systems: An Introduction for Scientists and Engineers

Abstract: This book provides an introduction to the mathematics needed to model, analyze, and design feedback systems. It is an ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate students, and is indispensable for researchers seeking a self-contained reference on control theory. Unlike most books on the subject, Feedback Systems develops transfer functions through the exponential response of a system, and is accessible across a range of disciplines that utilize feedback in physical, biological, information, and economic systems. Karl strm and Richard Murray use techniques from physics, computer science, and operations research to introduce control-oriented modeling. They begin with state space tools for analysis and design, including stability of solutions, Lyapunov functions, reachability, state feedback observability, and estimators. The matrix exponential plays a central role in the analysis of linear control systems, allowing a concise development of many of the key concepts for this class of models. strm and Murray then develop and explain tools in the frequency domain, including transfer functions, Nyquist analysis, PID control, frequency domain design, and robustness. They provide exercises at the end of every chapter, and an accompanying electronic solutions manual is available. Feedback Systems is a complete one-volume resource for students and researchers in mathematics, engineering, and the sciences.Covers the mathematics needed to model, analyze, and design feedback systems Serves as an introductory textbook for students and a self-contained resource for researchers Includes exercises at the end of every chapter Features an electronic solutions manual Offers techniques applicable across a range of disciplines

Affect, culture, and morality, or is it wrong to eat your dog?

Abstract: Are disgusting or disrespectful actions judged to be moral violations, even when they are harmless? Stories about victimless yet offensive actions (such as cleaning one's toilet with a flag) were presented to Brazilian and U.S. adults and children of high and low socioeconomic status (N = 360). Results show that college students at elite universities judged these stories to be matters of social convention or of personal preference. Most other Ss, especially in Brazil, took a moralizing stance toward these actions. For these latter Ss, moral judgments were better predicted by affective reactions than by appraisals of harmfulness. Results support the claims of cultural psychology (R.A. Shweder, 1991a) and suggest that cultural norms and culturally shaped emotions have a substantial impact on the domain of morality and the process of moral judgment. Suggestions are made for building cross-culturally valid models of moral judgment.

Blackwell Handbook of Judgment and Decision Making

Abstract: The Handbook * Contains contributions by experts from various disciplines that reflect current trends and controversies on judgment and decision making. * Provides a glimpse at the many approaches that have been taken in the study of judgment and decision making and portrays the major findings in the field. * Presents examinations of the broader roles of social, emotional, and cultural influences on decision making. * Explores applications of judgment and decision making research to important problems in a variety of professional contexts, including finance, accounting, medicine, public policy, and the law.