lecture four - prioritizing loved ones, prioritizing strangers Flashcards
what is consequentialism
the view that morally right actions are whichever actions produce the best consequences
what actions are morally good?
actions that help others or make the world a better place
what is the most common type of conequentialism
utilitarianism
what do we need to know in regards to consequentialism
which consequences are best and whose consequences matter
what is utilitarianism
the view that morally right actions are whichever actions produce the best consequences and the best consequences are those that involve the most pleasure and the least pain for the world as a whole
what is the biggest worry about utilitarianism
sometimes we can produce the best consequences by hurting some people in order to do good for other people
what is Peter Singer’s main argument
it it is in our power to prevent something very bad from happening without thereby sacrificing anything morally significant, we ought morally to do it.
why is singer considered a utilitarian
he thinks morally right actions are whichever actions produce the best consequences.
what is partiality
favouritism or bias in favour of
what claim does Scheffler disagree with
we should have equal concern for all people, and it is morally unacceptable to be partial toward or biased in favour of those with who we have close personal relationships
what is Scheffler’s claim for partiality
if the people we’re close to and the projects were apart of are bigger priorities for us than the needs of strangers, there doesn’t have to be anything morally bad about that
why does Scheffler think partiality is okay?
it is an inevitable feature of our attachments
what does valuing someone or something involve
a disposition to treat considerations pertaining to the thing that one values as providing one with distinctive reasons for actions
