Lance S. Bush
@lanceindependent.bsky.social
Moral psychologist & philosopher. I blog and I'm on YouTube/TikTok. See my academic and online work here:
https://linktr.ee/lanceindependent
https://linktr.ee/lanceindependent
My blog is back! Stan Patton and I wrote our most recent piece on intuitions, which may put an end to the intuition wars on Substack for good (they won't, but one can dream):
www.lanceindependent.com/p/the-intuit...
Stan did the bulk of the work here, as well as creating all the images.
www.lanceindependent.com/p/the-intuit...
Stan did the bulk of the work here, as well as creating all the images.
The Intuitions We Don’t Have
1.0 Distinctions, Distinctions, Distinctions
www.lanceindependent.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:23 PM
My blog is back! Stan Patton and I wrote our most recent piece on intuitions, which may put an end to the intuition wars on Substack for good (they won't, but one can dream):
www.lanceindependent.com/p/the-intuit...
Stan did the bulk of the work here, as well as creating all the images.
www.lanceindependent.com/p/the-intuit...
Stan did the bulk of the work here, as well as creating all the images.
There was this old suggestion from the rationality community from back in the day where you “taboo” a word (and any obvious synonym). This can put pressure on you to get clear about what you mean.
November 2, 2025 at 2:47 PM
There was this old suggestion from the rationality community from back in the day where you “taboo” a word (and any obvious synonym). This can put pressure on you to get clear about what you mean.
Congrats!!!
Thanks for encouraging me and indulging me to all those real philosphers who took me seriously, especially to @keithfrankish.com, @philipgoff.bsky.social, @lanceindependent.bsky.social, @petemandik.bsky.social and @qruy.bsky.social.
October 20, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Congrats!!!
Correct.
Metaethics is largely irrelevant to first order normative ethics
October 20, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Correct.
One of the weirder reactions to people endorsing moral antirealism or moral relativism is the moralization of their adoption of these views. That is, critics seem to think that if you endorse these views, this reflects poorly on your moral values and your character.
October 3, 2025 at 2:46 PM
One of the weirder reactions to people endorsing moral antirealism or moral relativism is the moralization of their adoption of these views. That is, critics seem to think that if you endorse these views, this reflects poorly on your moral values and your character.
I didn't find the case convincing. First, while you do make several clear assertions, I didn't see much in the way of arguments for those claims. Second, I think there are some issues with the reasoning at the end of the post (see my comment on substack where I explain what I take the issues to be).
I've got a new short post about why I'm mostly convinced of moral realism. A lot of folks I know are anti-realists, so one thing I'm curious to hear is what part(s) of it people disagree with me on. timfduffy.substack.com/p/moral-real...
September 25, 2025 at 9:38 PM
I didn't find the case convincing. First, while you do make several clear assertions, I didn't see much in the way of arguments for those claims. Second, I think there are some issues with the reasoning at the end of the post (see my comment on substack where I explain what I take the issues to be).
Unfortunately. Moral realism is one of least defensible positions in analytic philosophy, and that's saying a lot. It's popularity and even its apparent resurgence is a testament to the persistence of bad methods. I'm still hoping one day that the dissident metaphilosophies will triumph.
Analytic philosophy and moral realism go together like two things that frequently appear in conjunction with one another.
I once thought there were no objective moral truths. Over time, I became persuaded that there are self-evident truths, axioms of ethics, that provide an objective foundation for morality.
Recognising this was a turning point in my thinking.
Credit: The Institute of Art and Ideas, 2024
Recognising this was a turning point in my thinking.
Credit: The Institute of Art and Ideas, 2024
September 6, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Unfortunately. Moral realism is one of least defensible positions in analytic philosophy, and that's saying a lot. It's popularity and even its apparent resurgence is a testament to the persistence of bad methods. I'm still hoping one day that the dissident metaphilosophies will triumph.
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
More like the former. But it’s less about reading the wrong philosophers more about failing to read the right ones. Untutored introspection is otherwise silent on the relevant issues.
August 23, 2025 at 11:08 AM
More like the former. But it’s less about reading the wrong philosophers more about failing to read the right ones. Untutored introspection is otherwise silent on the relevant issues.
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
🔪Contra those who want the cake (hardnosed Darwinism) and to eat it, too (salvage some kind of moral realism):
"minimal moral realism, based on cognitivism and the rejection of error theory, [...] faces a fundamental challenge from nonobjective relativism"
"minimal moral realism, based on cognitivism and the rejection of error theory, [...] faces a fundamental challenge from nonobjective relativism"
Beyond minimalism: why objectivity matters for metaethical moral realism
This paper argues that moral realism must commit to objectivity as a core feature. According to an influential view, a theory qualifies as moral realism if moral claims are literally construed as s...
www.tandfonline.com
August 14, 2025 at 1:07 PM
🔪Contra those who want the cake (hardnosed Darwinism) and to eat it, too (salvage some kind of moral realism):
"minimal moral realism, based on cognitivism and the rejection of error theory, [...] faces a fundamental challenge from nonobjective relativism"
"minimal moral realism, based on cognitivism and the rejection of error theory, [...] faces a fundamental challenge from nonobjective relativism"
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
I like the moral realism debate but ultimately it doesn't matter. People just do what they do.
#philosophy
#philosophy
August 14, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I like the moral realism debate but ultimately it doesn't matter. People just do what they do.
#philosophy
#philosophy
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
@lanceindependent.bsky.social is one of the people I really like to listen to even though I strongly disagree with everything they say. @randalrauser.bsky.social is someone I like to listen to and tend to agree with. Double the fun!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcS...
Moral Anti-Realism with Lance Bush
YouTube video by Randal Rauser - The Tentative Apologist
www.youtube.com
August 6, 2025 at 1:42 PM
@lanceindependent.bsky.social is one of the people I really like to listen to even though I strongly disagree with everything they say. @randalrauser.bsky.social is someone I like to listen to and tend to agree with. Double the fun!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcS...
From its description, "1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology is a constantly growing collection of over 200 original essays on important philosophical topics. These essays are introductions rather than argumentative articles."
However, Nathan Nobis recently wrote this article:
However, Nathan Nobis recently wrote this article:
“That’s Subjective”: Subjectivism about Truth, Beauty, and Goodness - 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology
People sometimes say that judgments about what’s true, what’s ethical, what others find beautiful or aesthetically pleasing, and more are "subjective." What does “subjective” really mean? Are judgment...
1000wordphilosophy.com
August 6, 2025 at 11:13 PM
From its description, "1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology is a constantly growing collection of over 200 original essays on important philosophical topics. These essays are introductions rather than argumentative articles."
However, Nathan Nobis recently wrote this article:
However, Nathan Nobis recently wrote this article:
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
Check out my interview with moral antirealist @lanceindependent.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcS...
Moral Anti-Realism with Lance Bush
YouTube video by Randal Rauser - The Tentative Apologist
www.youtube.com
July 29, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Check out my interview with moral antirealist @lanceindependent.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UcS...
See my latest Blog Post, "Do Philosophers Need Intuitions?":
www.lanceindependent.com/p/do-philoso...
www.lanceindependent.com/p/do-philoso...
Do philosophers need intuitions?
1.0 Maybe we we don’t have intuitions
www.lanceindependent.com
July 1, 2025 at 12:45 AM
See my latest Blog Post, "Do Philosophers Need Intuitions?":
www.lanceindependent.com/p/do-philoso...
www.lanceindependent.com/p/do-philoso...
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
Going live in a couple of minutes with DOCTOR Lance Bush, What's Wrong with Annaka Harris's Philosophy of Mind www.youtube.com/live/L3GuX3b...
Annaka Harris's Bad Philosophy of Mind w/ Lance Bush
YouTube video by Digital Gnosis
www.youtube.com
May 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Going live in a couple of minutes with DOCTOR Lance Bush, What's Wrong with Annaka Harris's Philosophy of Mind www.youtube.com/live/L3GuX3b...
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
🔪"Ultimately, perhaps, the error at the heart of morality is that we take the metaphysics of the external world and the agency of humans to 'fit together' in a way that cannot be accommodated within a naturalistic worldview."
Morality: From Error to Fiction
Amazon.com: Morality: From Error to Fiction: 9780198879367: Joyce, Richard: Books
www.amazon.com
June 27, 2025 at 8:29 PM
🔪"Ultimately, perhaps, the error at the heart of morality is that we take the metaphysics of the external world and the agency of humans to 'fit together' in a way that cannot be accommodated within a naturalistic worldview."
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
"a certain pay-off in seeing these skeptical arguments piled up and jostling for attention, for it underscores the fact that moral responsibility is *fishy all over the place*"
The Argument from Moral Responsibility
Abstract. Of the philosophers who are skeptical of the existence of moral responsibility, many remain optimistic that morality could carry on healthily wit
academic.oup.com
June 22, 2025 at 6:22 PM
"a certain pay-off in seeing these skeptical arguments piled up and jostling for attention, for it underscores the fact that moral responsibility is *fishy all over the place*"
I don't know of any good reason to associate psychopathy with a deficit in the ability to perceive objective moral truths; there's never been any compelling demonstrate anyone can detect moral truth in this way. I see little reason to associate psychopathy with highly contentious metaethical claims.
My latest video is a common sense defense of moral realism:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=miyX...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=miyX...
Moral Non-Realism? A Common Sense Rebuttal
YouTube video by Randal Rauser - The Tentative Apologist
www.youtube.com
June 22, 2025 at 3:00 AM
I don't know of any good reason to associate psychopathy with a deficit in the ability to perceive objective moral truths; there's never been any compelling demonstrate anyone can detect moral truth in this way. I see little reason to associate psychopathy with highly contentious metaethical claims.
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
Love @lanceindependent.bsky.social, love Henry Shevlin, love videogames, what's not to love? Really enjoyed the enthusiasm of this concersation. youtube.com/live/MttmPst...
Discussing video games with Henry Shevlin
YouTube video by Lance Independent
youtube.com
June 17, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Love @lanceindependent.bsky.social, love Henry Shevlin, love videogames, what's not to love? Really enjoyed the enthusiasm of this concersation. youtube.com/live/MttmPst...
Who will be at the Society for Philosophy and Psychology (SPP) meeting this week?
June 17, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Who will be at the Society for Philosophy and Psychology (SPP) meeting this week?
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
Looking for philosophers to follow on Bluesky? Here are over 2,000 of them on my #philosophy (bsky.app/profile/did:...) and philosophy organisations (bsky.app/profile/did:...) lists! #PhilSky
June 10, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Looking for philosophers to follow on Bluesky? Here are over 2,000 of them on my #philosophy (bsky.app/profile/did:...) and philosophy organisations (bsky.app/profile/did:...) lists! #PhilSky
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
Learned something new today: Zotero has a feature where it informs you if an article in your reference library has been retracted. Very cool!
June 2, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Learned something new today: Zotero has a feature where it informs you if an article in your reference library has been retracted. Very cool!
Reposted by Lance S. Bush
"Is not the whole history of philosophy one long illustration of philosophic audacity in manipulating language, and does not experience show that philosophers frequently get away with their arbitrary modifications of '*the*' meaning of words and 'propositions'?" - FCS Schiller
May 30, 2025 at 7:35 PM
"Is not the whole history of philosophy one long illustration of philosophic audacity in manipulating language, and does not experience show that philosophers frequently get away with their arbitrary modifications of '*the*' meaning of words and 'propositions'?" - FCS Schiller
Goodhart's Law is one of the most important forces in the world and it's incredible how little attention it gets.
May 23, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Goodhart's Law is one of the most important forces in the world and it's incredible how little attention it gets.