Title
On Pessimism: A Study in Normative Psychology
Date of Award
6-2012
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Philosophy
Advisor(s)
Michael Stocker
Keywords
Pessimism
Subject Categories
Philosophy
Abstract
I aim to revive pessimism as a topic of philosophical discussion. Toward that end, I defend a theory of pessimism designed to locate pessimism within the existing philosophical literature, and to account for the epistemic and prudential conditions under which pessimism is warranted. I argue for three main theses: (1) pessimism is a stance in which one takes oneself to live in a `not good-enough' world; (2) pessimism is not necessarily the product of an emotional problem, a character defect, or unjustifiable metaphysical assumptions; and (3) pessimism can be prudentially appropriate, and--perhaps most controversially--is epistemically warranted. In an appendix, I consider the philosophical challenges posed by radical pessimism, and what I call the secular problem of evil.
Recommended Citation
Prescott, Paul, "On Pessimism: A Study in Normative Psychology" (2012). Philosophy - Dissertations. 70.
https://surface.syr.edu/phi_etd/70
