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Normative Ethics. Section 2 Consequentialism & Its Critics. Consequences relevant to rightness of action: intended ones all foreseeable ones. Consequences NOT relevant to rightness of action: unforeseeable ones. Consequences and Rightness.
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Normative Ethics Section 2 Consequentialism & Its Critics
Consequences relevant to rightness of action: intended ones all foreseeable ones. Consequences NOT relevant to rightness of action: unforeseeable ones. Consequences and Rightness Note: consequences include physical changes effected by an action.
Principle of Double Effect • Intended consequences of acts and omissions are morally relevant, but foreseen though unintended consequences are not usually relevant. Consider why people are attracted to this principle & appraise it.
Principle of Double Effect • Not needed to explain judgements about certain examples (e.g. self-defence). • These judgements can be explained better on a consequentialist basis.
Intentions • Not necessarily crucial to rightness of action, but still important in ethics. • Enable actions to be identified.
Morality of action as distinguishable from that of character & of motive. A consequentialist account can be given for both - morality of action - morality of character & motive. Motive & Character
Principle of Acts & Omissions • Foreseen consequences of acts are morally relevant, but foreseen consequences of omissions are NOT always morally relevant, and this is so even when the consequences of those acts & omissions are identical. Consider why people are attracted to this principle & appraise it.
Principle of Acts & Omissions • Not needed to explain judgements about certain examples (e.g. poisoning). • These judgements can be explained better on a consequentialist basis.
Negative Responsibility • Agents are just as responsible for their omissions (what they don’t do / fail to do), as for their acts. Appraise the idea of negative responsibility.
Theories with a place for moral rules are preferable to those that relate solely to single actions. Consequentialist theories of moral rules are preferable to intuitionist ones. The former are able to appraise & justify rules. Normative Theory
Practice-consequentialism • Practices, rather than mere abstract rules, benefit society. • Those practices involve human solidarity. • They can be actual or possible. • Practice-consequentialism can address conflicting rules.