The self-defeatingness argument against a theory is distinctive because it requires no external assumptions and instead claims that the theory fails by its own standards, thereby condemning itself.
By Derek Parfit, from Les raisons et les personnes
Key Arguments
- Parfit introduces self-defeatingness as a specific kind of objection: "One argument is that a theory is self-defeating."
- He says this argument is "uniquely" assumption-free: "This argument, uniquely, needs no assumptions."
- He explains its structure: "It claims that a theory fails even in its own terms, and thus condemns itself."
- Because the theory is judged by its own criteria, no independent moral or rational premises are required for the critique.
Source Quotes
Arguments about these theories are of many kinds. One argument is that a theory is self-defeating. This argument, uniquely, needs no assumptions.
One argument is that a theory is self-defeating. This argument, uniquely, needs no assumptions. It claims that a theory fails even in its own terms, and thus condemns itself.
This argument, uniquely, needs no assumptions. It claims that a theory fails even in its own terms, and thus condemns itself. The first part of this book discusses what this argument achieves.
Key Concepts
- One argument is that a theory is self-defeating.
- This argument, uniquely, needs no assumptions.
- It claims that a theory fails even in its own terms, and thus condemns itself.
Context
Programmatic description in the introductory section of Part One of what a ‘self-defeating’ objection is and why Parfit considers it a special kind of argument.