University of Gothenburg
University of Gothenburg
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Ragnar Francén

VICEPREFEKT

Department of Philosophy, Linguistics, Theory of
Science
Telephone
+46 31-786 48 37
Mail
ragnar.francen@filosofi.gu.se
Visiting address
Renströmsgatan 6
41255 Göteborg
Postal address
Box 200
40530 Göteborg

SENIOR LECTURER

Department of Philosophy, Linguistics, Theory of
Science
Mail
ragnar.francen@filosofi.gu.se

About Ragnar Francén

Associate professor in practical philosophy. I did my PhD at the University of Gothenburg and in 2008 I defended my thesis (”Metaethical Relativism: Against the Single Analysis Assumption”). After that I was a lecturer at the University of Gothenburg and a post doc at Stockholm University 2010-2011.  

Research My research mainly concerns fundamental questions about the nature of moral thought and language. What is it to think, for instance, that an act is morally wrong? Examples:

  • In my dissertation and some papers I discuss the plausibility of contextualist and relativist views about moral thought according to which the content of moral beliefs varies from person to person.
  • I have developed and defended a radical version of relativism (metaethical pluralism) to the effect that different metaethical analyses of the content of moral beliefs are correct for the moral beliefs of different persons.
  • Given contextualism, relativism or pluralism about moral beliefs, how can we understand moral disagreement?
  • What is the connection between accepting a moral judgment and being motivated to act in accordance with the judgment? (That is, the issue of motivational internalism vs. externalism.)

Research projects During 2017 I’m starting up the research project Metaethical Pluralism. 2013-2016 I was involved in the project Expressivism Generalized: The Scope of Non-Descriptive Thought and Talk. 2010-2012 I was involved in the Moral Motivation: Evidence and Relevance.

Publications