Thick and Thin Concepts

Thick and thin concepts have been prominent in much of modern moral philosophy, although these concepts and the distinction drawn between them have broader application than just ethical thought and language. This entry begins by outlining what thick and thin concepts are. It then outlines the recent history of the distinction drawn between them before raising three pertinent questions and giving brief responses: Is there a distinction? How is concept use related to the guidance of action? And how should one understand the relationship between evaluative and descriptive conceptual content?