Reflective Equilibrium

Abstract How can individuals figure out what’s right or wrong, if moral truths are neither self-evident nor something they can perceive? Very roughly, the method of reflective equilibrium (RE) says that people should begin moral inquiry from what they already confidently think, seeking to find a match between their initial convictions and general principles that are well-supported by background theories, mutually adjusting both until they reach a coherent outlook in which their beliefs are in harmony (the equilibrium part) and they know why and how their beliefs support each other (the reflective part). It has been central to the self-understanding of normative ethics and other branches of philosophy in the past half a century. This chapter examines the history of the idea of RE and introduces a schema for generating variants. It explains why RE is subject to serious objections insofar as it purports to yield epistemic justification in virtue of achieving coherence. However, the chapter also develops a new argument to the effect that RE is the best feasible method for individuals to achieve moral understanding and the ability to justify their judgments to others. It may thus be crucial for responsible moral inquiry, even if coherence among considered judgments and principles is neither sufficient nor necessary for justified moral belief.