Currently viewing the tag: "moral theory"

Welfare: Who Cares?

By On September 29, 2012 · 31 Comments · In Academic Philosophy, Consequentialism, Libertarianism, Liberty, Rights Theory

Some BHL types seem to think that welfare matters for its own sake. Recently, Kevin suggested that rights are justified by an appeal to the welfare interests they protect. On his telling, classical liberals and welfare liberals agree about the welfarist interests that merit protection, but they just disagree about how we should [...]

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McElroy’s Attack on Unrealistic Thought Experiments

By On August 21, 2012 · 29 Comments · In Academic Philosophy, Libertarianism

Many Facebook friends have linked to this post by Wendy McElroy.

She begins,

In entry-level philosophy class, a professor will often present a scenario that seems to challenge the students’ perspective on morality.

The argument runs something as follows: “The entire nation of France will drop dead tomorrow unless you kill your neighbor [...]

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Morality for Grown Ups

By On August 21, 2012 · 47 Comments · In Libertarianism

We tell our children that it’s wrong to lie. And, at least when they are young, we do not qualify the statement. We do not tell them that it’s wrong to lie unless you really, really need the thing you’re lying to get, or unless it’s just a tiny little white lie anyway. We tell [...]

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Helping the Poor: Sacrifice, Intentions, and Outcomes

By On November 3, 2011 · 39 Comments · In Consequentialism, Exploitation, Social Justice

My friend David Sobel argues that even if sweatshops are benefiting the global poor, this doesn’t mean that they are fulfilling whatever obligations they might have to aid the less fortunate:

This activity on the part of corporations, I think it safe to assume, is motivated purely by economic self-interest on the part of the corporation. [...]

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