Naturalism and The Desire for Esteem

In this article, I consider the prospects for ‘Naturalism’, the view that our nature as social animals precludes us from being able to cultivate a state of indifference to social esteem. Despite its philosophical interest and intuitive appeal, Naturalism has received little in the way of detailed philosophical elaboration. Drawing on work by Bernard Williams, I develop a version of Naturalism which prioritises the idea that human beings characteristically have a natural commitment to a life lived in community with others, and that it is this commitment which precludes us from being able to intentionally cultivate indifference to social esteem.