Do Normative Predictions Make Sense? Pragmatism and Ethics in Calderoni

Abstract

The work deals with the applicability of Peirce’s pragmatic maxim to normative concepts, defining them in terms of predictions. The starting point is the work of Mario Calderoni (1879-1914), an Italian pragmatist who tried to apply pragmatism to ethical and legal issues. The conclusion of the paper is that it does not make sense to make normative predictions with a definitional purpose, that is, for the purpose of defining a normative concept, although it does make sense for cognitive ends, that is, for the purpose of knowing what will (probably) happen following the application or misapplication of certain norms.