The Phenomenon of Universality in Ethics: Forms of Conceptualization

The author demonstrates that a concept of universality is determined in its content by a conception of morality, within a framework of which it has been developed. Different interpretations of universality presented in the literature reflect the heterogeneity of the phenomenon, which appears: a) as the most general normative content of different moral notions, judgements, imperatives, etc.; at this level universality is associated with absoluteness; b) as a feature of values which are addressed in a form of requirements actual to everybody (within a given particular community); thus universality becomes apparent in a call to everyone, what may be reflected in general recognition of normative validity of values and requirements; c) as a special feature of moral judgements universalizability, corresponded with the agent's impartiality in moral notions, judgements, and imperatives. These connotations of 'universality' indicate the fundamental role of this phenomenon in morality.