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Jakob Elster

Professor - Norwegian Centre for Human Rights

Email jakob.elster@nchr.uio.no

Phone +47 22 84 55 30

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Visiting address Kristian August gate 17 Domus Juridica 7.etg 0164 Oslo

Postal address Postboks 6706 St Olavs plass 0130 Oslo

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Background

I obtained my PhD in philosophy from the University of Oslo in 2007. My PhD-thesis, entitled Transforming Moral Motivation, discussed the government’s right to influence people’s moral motivation in order to change their behavior in morally desirable ways, and the moral constraints which should be imposed on this right.

After my PhD, I have been research school coordinator at the Ethics Programme, University of Oslo (2007-2008), postdoctoral researcher at the Ethics Programme and at the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of art and Ideas (IFIKK), University of Oslo (2008-2011) and senior adviser at the Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics (REC) South-East Norway (2011-2016). I have been at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights since 2016.

Academic interests

I have a broad set of research interests within ethics, political philosophy, and the philosophy of human rights. Among the topics I am interested in, are:

Autonomy, paternalism and legitimate limits to the right to autonomy
Consequentialist moral theories and the relationship between consequentialism and rights
The role of ethics committees and moral experts
Methodological issues in ethics and political philosophy
Medical research ethics
Bioethics, and the relationship between bioethics and human rights

Teaching

I contribute/ have contributed to teaching the following courses:

Projects

In 2020/2021, I was one of the group leaders of the project “What is a Good Policy? Political Morality, Feasibility and Democracy (GOODPOL)” at the Centre for Advanced Study (CAS) at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

Awards

My article “How Outlandish Can Imaginary Cases Be?” (2011) won the Journal of Applied Philosophy’s annual prize for the best article published in the year’s volume.

Tags: human rights, ethics, political philosophy, bioethics, research ethics, autonomy

Elster, Jakob & Holst, Cathrine (2024). Philosophy, Policy, and Moral Expertise. Res Publica. ISSN 1356-4765. doi: 10.1007/s11158-023-09651-x. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2023). Policy-Development and Deference to Moral Experts. Res Publica. ISSN 1356-4765. doi: 10.1007/s11158-022-09577-w. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob & Feiring, Eli (2020). Når er registerbasert helse- og helsetjenesteforskning uten samtykke etisk forsvarlig? In Befring, Anne Kjersti Cecelia & Sand, Inger Johanne (Ed.), Kunstig intelligens og big data i helsesektoren Rettslige perspektiver. Gyldendal Juridisk. ISSN 9788205531963. p. 452–474. Full text in Research Archive
Zacka, Bernardo; Ackerly, Brooke; Elster, Jakob; Allen, Signy Gutnick; Iqtidar, Humeira & Longo, Matthew [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2020). Political Theory with an Ethnographic Sensibility. Contemporary Political Theory. ISSN 1470-8914. p. 1–34. doi: 10.1057/s41296-020-00433-1. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2020). Autonomy in Political Philosophy. In Thompson, William R. (Eds.), Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Oxford University Press. ISSN 9780190228637. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The concept of autonomy is one of the key concepts of political philosophy. It plays an important role in discussions of the limits of state coercion, in particular in arguments against paternalistic laws and policies, and in questions concerning the legitimacy and authority of the state. Although the term “autonomy” is used in different ways, a common understanding of the concept of autonomy relates to the idea of leading one’s own life: the autonomous person develops her own understanding of how her life should be and acts accordingly, without interference by others. Autonomy plays three main roles in political philosophy. First, autonomy provides a goal, to be realized through political means; this requires that the state protect people from interference with their autonomy, ensure the availability of sufficient resources, and foster the mental abilities necessary for autonomy. Not least, promoting autonomy can entail that the form of government be democratic, as citizens’ autonomy is best protected in a democratic regime. Next, autonomy can impose a set of constraints, limiting the legitimate use of coercion in realizing political goals. First, coercion can only be used for certain purposes. The most well-known constraint of this kind involves the rejection of paternalism: coercion may never be used to promote a person’s own good against her will. Next, there are constraints connected with the kind of justification that can be given for coercive actions: in order to be compatible with autonomy, these must be justified in ways that the coerced have actually accepted or could have accepted. Finally, autonomy can play a role in arguments about the grounds for political authority. Although authority and autonomy might seem to be inimical, autonomy can ground the right to command either through citizens’ consent or through their voluntary actions by which they become committed to follow a common set of rules. Autonomy can only play these roles if it is valuable, and there are several arguments why autonomy is valuable. First, there are instrumental reasons: the good both of individuals and of society is best served if people have a large degree of autonomy. Next, people have an interest in their choices and actions being their own, representative of who they are. Also, there is a strong symbolic and relational aspect to the right to autonomy: being denied this right is insulting and amounts to a denial of one’s equal standing. Finally, there might be an intrinsic value to autonomy, as only autonomy allows us to be fully human.
Elster, Jakob (2015). Er etisk skjønn jevnt fordelt? In Fossheim, Hallvard & Ingierd, Helene C. (Ed.), Etisk skjønn i forskning. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215026558. p. 22–38. doi: 10.18261/9788215025162-2015-03. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Artikkelen drøfter om etisk skjønn er jevnt fordelt eller om noen har bedre etisk skjønn enn andre, og hvordan man i så fall kan måle etisk skjønn. Både skjønnsutøvelse ved anvendelse av regler og ren etisk skjønnsutøvelse krever evne til å identifisere de faktorene som er moralsk relevante og å forstå hvorfor de er det. Dette er egenskaper vi kan vurdere om folk har, og de som har disse i større grad enn andre, har bedre skjønn.
Elster, Jakob (2012). Scanlon on Permissibility and Double Effect. Journal of Moral Philosophy. ISSN 1740-4681. 9(1), p. 75–102. doi: 10.1163/174552411X612074. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2011). How Outlandish Can Imaginary Cases Be? Journal of Applied Philosophy. ISSN 0264-3758. 28(3), p. 241–258. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-5930.2011.00531.x. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2011). PROCREATIVE BENEFICENCE - CUI BONO? Bioethics. ISSN 0269-9702. 25(9), p. 482–488. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8519.2009.01794.x. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2010). Hvor i all verden er alle normene? Nytt Norsk Tidsskrift (NNT). ISSN 0800-336X. p. 127–141. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2007). Hva skal vi med etiske komiteer? Etikk i praksis. ISSN 1890-3991. 1(1), p. 11–31. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). Å velge eller ikke velge (om Jürgen Habermas, Den menneskelige naturs fremtid). Agora Journal for metafysisk spekulasjon. ISSN 0800-7136. p. 207–217. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2004). How to best teach bioethics � an introduction /Innledning: Hvordan undervise i bioetikk? How to best teach bioethics. Report from a workshop March 2003 organised by The Nordic Committee on Bioethics and NorFA. Nordisk ministerråd. ISSN 9789289310055. p. 11–20. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA

Maus, Ingvill Gjerdrum & Elster, Jakob (2024). Hva er forskningsetikk. [Internet]. FilMet. doi: https:/film.oslomet.no/64968570/90101010/d70867f614d6c6d34133509d77550f4e/video_1080p/hva-er-forskningsetikk-2-10-video.mp4. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2022). Lucas Swaine: Ethical Autonomy: The Rise of Self-Rule. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2020. Pp. xx, 225.). The Review of Politics. ISSN 0034-6705. 84(3), p. 457–459. doi: 10.1017/S0034670522000419. Full text in Research Archive
Holst, Cathrine & Elster, Jakob (2022). Philosophy, Policy and Moral Expertise. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2022). Samspillet mellom empiriske og normative premisser i utformingen av god politikk. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2020). Ville utsatt skoleåpning ha vært etisk forsvarlig? Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2020). Hvilken etiker skulle man stole på? Salongen – nettidsskrift for filosofi og idéhistorie. ISSN 2703-7053. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2020). Bør vi ha mindre strenge samtykkekrav i helseforskningen? Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2015). Review of Fiona Woollard, Doing and Allowing Harm. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2010). The Brain and its Law. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2010). ”You don’t know what it’s like!” –personal experience in morality and public reason. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2009). Democratic authority in non-ideal theory: some thoughts on David Estlund’s defence of hopeless political theories. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2009). "You Don't Know What It's Like!" - The Role of Personal Experience in Moral Argumentation. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2008). Ought implies can. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2008). Bioetiske komiteer – mellom etikk og politikk. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2008). What do we explain when we explain morality? Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2008). Bioethics committees between moral epistemology and political legitimacy. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob; Roll-Hansen, Nils & Storm, Johan Frederik (2008). Upop-aften: Nevroetikk. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2008). Hvilken rolle skal moralsk motivasjon ha i velferdspolitikken? Full text in Research Archive
Block, Ned; Galaaen, Øistein Schmidt & Elster, Jakob (2007). Empiricism in the Philosophy of Mind? An Interview with Ned Block. [Journal]. Filosofisk Supplement 1, 2007, pp. 30-34. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Metaphilosophical interview with Prof. Ned Block (NYU), 28th November 2006.
Elster, Jakob & Bomann-Larsen, Lene (2007). Deltagelse i radioprogram om moralske intuisjoner og drap i krig, mm. [Radio]. Verdibørsen. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2007). Hjerneskadete utilitarister - Hvordan fungerer vår moralske dømmekraft? Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2007). How does the mind matter for the law? Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2007). (How) Can We Draw Normative Conclusions From Empirical Work In Moral Psychology? Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2006). Legitimate Motivational Transformation. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2006). Om å undervise i bioetikk i skolen: Hva underviser man i og hvorfor? Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). Teaching bioethics in the secondary education – the Norwegian experience. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). Can the Level of Our Moral Motivation Influence the Content of Our Moral Duties? Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). Simone Weil on the Purificational Role of Atheism and Amoralism. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). Umotiverte for det gode. [Journal]. Klassekampen. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). Intervju på P4s Helgefrokost. [Radio]. P4s Helgefrokost. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). - Mangler moralsk motivasjon. [Internet]. Apollon. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). Intervju i Østlandssendingen. [Radio]. NRK Østlandssendingen. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2005). Gud, gener og moral. [Internet]. forskning.no. Full text in Research Archive
Bomann-Larsen, Lene & Elster, Jakob (2005). Deltagelse i radioprogram: Debatt om moralske dilemmaer og de hvite bussene. [Radio]. Verdibørsen, NRK P2. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2004). Wrongful life problems and euthanasia. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2003). Moral Motivation and Political and Social Institutions. Full text in Research Archive
Elster, Jakob (2007). Transforming Moral Motivation. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The dissertation takes as its point of departure the supposition that when people fail to perform morally good actions, this is not only due to a lack of moral knowledge, but often to a lack of moral motivation. It follows that one way of making society better is by influencing the moral motivation of its members. If self-interest were sufficient to motivate all actions required by morality, transforming moral motivation would not be necessary, although it might still be a useful supplementary means. However, although theoretically possible, the assumption that self-interest is sufficient to motivate moral action is empirically implausible given any reasonably demanding conception of morality. Another way of arguing that the demands of morality do not require motivational transformation consists in saying that since ought implies can, I have no duty to perform an action I cannot be motivated to perform. However, although it is true that if a person at present cannot possibly be motivated to perform a given action she has no duty to perform the action, this does not mean that she does not have a duty to become motivated to perform the same action sometime in the future. Nevertheless, there are moral limits to what we may do to transform people’s motivation. A major constraint on motivational transformation is respect for the agent’s right to autonomy. In particular, we must respect the right to an autonomous process of motivational formation: an agent should be able to choose for herself what motives she wants to develop, based on her present motivational state. The right to an autonomous process weighs even heavier than the right to autonomous action, which might sometimes be legitimately infringed, as when a criminal is imprisoned. But this right does not impose a limit on motivational transformation when we shape the moral motives of children, because they have no capacity for, hence no right to, an autonomous process.
Elster, Jakob & Troil, Helena Von (2004). How to best teach bioethics. Report from a workshop March 2003 organised by The Nordic Committee on Bioethics and NorFA. Nordisk ministerråd. ISSN 9789289310055. Full text in Research Archive