Saturday, June 27, 2009

Notes on What Makes Right Acts Right by W.D. Ross

Ross --->   When two duties conflict you pick the duty which is in the circumstances more of a duty rather than an utilitarian question of bringing more good into existence by the one action over the other
 
 
Cases of conscience    ex. fulfilling a promise or helping someone to whom I had made no promise when they would bring equal amounts of good
 
two theories
  • Kant---> certain duties of perfect obligation
  • Moore/Rashdall --> only duty is producing good --> asking which action will bring about the most good
Ross --> but its more important that our theory fit the facts than that it be simple
Jim -->  yes! exactly...
 
Ross --> Ideal Utilitarianism of Moore/Rashdall simplifies our relations w/our fellow man in saying that the only morally significant relation in which my neighbors stand to me is that of being possible beneficiary by my action ...   Ross---> yes, but they stand to me in relation of promises to promiser creditor to debtor, wife to husband, child to parent as well.  That each of these relations is a prima facie duty
 
Ross--> when facing more than one prima facie duty in a certain situation --> I must study the situation and form a "considered opinion" of which one is more incumbent than the other.
 
Ross divides prima facia duties into 6 categories
 
Ideal Utilitarianism's defect?
Ross --> it ignores or doesn't give full justice to the highly personal character of duty
 
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more to come --Jim
 
 
 

Posted via email from Jim Nichols

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