ONLINE FIRST
published on October 2, 2015
Justin Matchulat
https://doi.org/10.5840/faithphil201510150
Rationality and Human Value
An Aristotelian Response to Robert Adams
Human beings are typically regarded as having more value than sheep; they are said to bear the image of God or have unique value and dignity. But to specify what grounds this unique value proves quite difficult. Robert Adams argues that a traditional account that grounds this value in rationality will not do, since it cannot satisfy a number of desiderata. But I develop a broadly Aristotelian account of rationality and show that it can indeed account for the rich phenomena Adams points us towards. Moreover, unlike Adams¡¯s ¡°complex package¡± view, my view is able to provide a unified explanation for why these phenomena manifest human beings¡¯ unique value.