Mustist

Mustist is a fictional philosophical and cultural movement described in this article. It centers on the primacy of necessity and obligation in ethical life, arguing that certain moral duties are universal and knowable through rational reflection, not solely determined by outcomes or customs.

The term Mustist is derived from the word must and the -ist suffix, and it was introduced in speculative writings in the early 2000s by philosopher Arin Kest and a small network of thinkers.

Core tenets include universal oughts or musts, a form of moral realism, and a commitment to rational justification. Mustists distinguish obligatory duties that must be followed from permissible actions, and they contend that musts persist across cultures.

Epistemology and method: musts are argued to be knowable a priori via rational reflection about coherence, autonomy, and social order. The Mustic Method provides steps to identify competing musts, prioritize them, and resolve conflicts through coherent hierarchies.

Practices and institutions: within Mustist circles, scholars discuss musts through formal essays, seminars, and case exercises; some communities imagine educational programs that train practitioners to recognize universal duties.

Reception and critique: Mustism has been discussed mainly as a thought experiment in philosophy; critics warn it risks doctrinal rigidity, overgeneralization, or clashes with pluralistic values.

Notable figures include Arin Kest and Lila Moret, among others who contributed to early debates and fieldwork.

Related topics include deontology and moral realism.