Shelly Kagan
- Published in print:
- 1991
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198239161
- eISBN:
- 9780191597848
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198239165.003.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
This chapter lays out the basic elements of ordinary morality, according to which there is only a limited requirement to promote the overall good. In particular, ‘constraints’ impose restrictions on ...
More
This chapter lays out the basic elements of ordinary morality, according to which there is only a limited requirement to promote the overall good. In particular, ‘constraints’ impose restrictions on permissible means of promoting the good, and ‘options’ free us of the obligation to promote the good – even within the limits set by those constraints. We are free to make large sacrifices for others, but typically are not required to do so. This is an intuitively attractive position, but there is more involved in defending a moral view than showing its intuitive appeal. The most natural defence of options appeals to the cost to the agent of promoting the good, but this appeal leads to unacceptable results unless we can first defend constraints as well, and many straightforward attempts to defend constraints are inadequate.Less
This chapter lays out the basic elements of ordinary morality, according to which there is only a limited requirement to promote the overall good. In particular, ‘constraints’ impose restrictions on permissible means of promoting the good, and ‘options’ free us of the obligation to promote the good – even within the limits set by those constraints. We are free to make large sacrifices for others, but typically are not required to do so. This is an intuitively attractive position, but there is more involved in defending a moral view than showing its intuitive appeal. The most natural defence of options appeals to the cost to the agent of promoting the good, but this appeal leads to unacceptable results unless we can first defend constraints as well, and many straightforward attempts to defend constraints are inadequate.
Michael Walzer
- Published in print:
- 1995
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198280088
- eISBN:
- 9780191599927
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198280084.003.0013
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Responding to the critical assessments of his Spheres of Justice, Michael Walzer rethinks the central aspects of the notion of complex equality. He addresses the following issues: the meaning and ...
More
Responding to the critical assessments of his Spheres of Justice, Michael Walzer rethinks the central aspects of the notion of complex equality. He addresses the following issues: the meaning and possibility of complex equality; the centrality of democratic citizenship; the danger of complex inequality; the injustice of current international distributions; the role of ordinary morality in distributive justice; the importance of efficiency; and the need for a historical account of social differentiation and distributive complexity.Less
Responding to the critical assessments of his Spheres of Justice, Michael Walzer rethinks the central aspects of the notion of complex equality. He addresses the following issues: the meaning and possibility of complex equality; the centrality of democratic citizenship; the danger of complex inequality; the injustice of current international distributions; the role of ordinary morality in distributive justice; the importance of efficiency; and the need for a historical account of social differentiation and distributive complexity.
R. S. Downie and K. C. Calman
- Published in print:
- 1994
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780192624086
- eISBN:
- 9780191723728
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192624086.003.0001
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
This Introduction starts by outlining the issues raised in this book and the purpose of the book. It goes on to summarize the contents of the parts that follow. Part 1, is an essay in moral ...
More
This Introduction starts by outlining the issues raised in this book and the purpose of the book. It goes on to summarize the contents of the parts that follow. Part 1, is an essay in moral philosophy or ‘ethics’ in this first sense. Part 2 illustrates the second main sense of ‘ethics’ — ordinary morality as it is found in a professional context.Less
This Introduction starts by outlining the issues raised in this book and the purpose of the book. It goes on to summarize the contents of the parts that follow. Part 1, is an essay in moral philosophy or ‘ethics’ in this first sense. Part 2 illustrates the second main sense of ‘ethics’ — ordinary morality as it is found in a professional context.
