PhD defence Charlie Blunden: How Do We Recognise Moral Progress?

What do the steam engine, not marrying your cousin, and supporting gay rights have in common? According to PhD candidate Charlie Blunden, they are all part of the story of moral progress. But what exactly does ‘moral progress’ mean? Blunden has developed a philosophical theory on the subject, and on Friday 28 March, he will defend his PhD dissertation ‘Moral Prosperity: Basic, Instrumental, and Vindicated Moral Progress’.

Moral progress

According to Blunden, moral progress is deeply connected to changes in social norms and institutions. These have driven major technological and economic changes over the past two centuries. We like to think that society is constantly improving – that we’re becoming better at understanding what is right and making more ethical choices. But is that really the case?

Blunden argues that moral progress is difficult to pinpoint. For one thing, whose definition of moral progress are we using? And even if we can point to examples, we still face complex questions about what has brought it about.

Kinds of moral progress

In his theory, Blunden outlines three kinds of moral progress: basic, instrumental, and vindicated moral progress. Focussing on the first two, he explains that basic moral progress is change that is widely endorsed, such as a reduction of famine, a reduction of poverty, and an improvement of a healthy life expectancy. From different moral perspectives, these developments are regarded as morally good.

Then there is instrumental moral progress, Blunden says. This is when there is change that is causally connected to basic moral progress, but that is itself morally controversial. There is evidence that the cultural trait of individualism, for example, is causally linked to economic development, and economic development, in turn, is linked to basic moral progress. However, the intrinsic moral goodness of individualism is controversial. Thus, Blunden argues, we can, at most, claim that individualism is instrumentally morally progressive.

How do we recognise which progress is progressive?

Blunden builds on recent developments in genealogical philosophy, a field that explores the origins and evolution of ideas, values, and norms, to argue for the possibility of vindicated moral progress.

By applying this approach, Blunden aims to uncover when and how certain moral values can truly be seen as progressive – even when society is divided on the issue. Ultimately, his research helps us understand how to make justified claims about moral progress.