Background
Nielsen, Kai was born on May 15, 1926 in Marshall.
Nielsen, Kai was born on May 15, 1926 in Marshall.
University of North Carolina and Duke University.
1955-1957, Hamilton College. 1957-1960, Amherst College, 1961 2, Harper College. 1962-1970, New York University.
Since 1970, University of Calgary. 1975-1976, City University of New York.
Nielsen’s thinking begins in ethics and extends at once to both social philosophy and philosophy of religion. His position in ethics is reminiscent of Hume, resting ultimately on moral sentiment. This ‘subjective’ foundation is modified by the fact that the discipline is 'rule-governed' and possesses an ‘objective rationale’. In social philosophy the ‘bedrock’ ethical point of the unfairness in life prospects for some children is not subject to objective proof, yet it is that ethical point which commits him to a program of social equality, and to socialism. Once again, if religion were necessary for ethics, it would have a justification; but the cosmological frameworks of religious people are ‘free spinning wheels’, unrelated to their ethical commitments. Furthermore. religious statements are ‘very, very close’ to ‘Ideology’ statements, so close that nothing will count for or against them. Having no function these free spinning wheels might as well be jettisoned, leaving the field to ethics.