Journal for the History of Analytical Philosophy 1 (2) (2012)
Authors |
|
Abstract |
The denial of the intrinsic value of acts apart from both motives and consequences lies at the heart of Ross’s deontology and his opposition to ideal utilitarianism. Moreover, the claim that acts can have intrinsic value is a staple element of early and contemporary attempts to “consequentialise” all of morality. I first show why Ross’s denial is relevant both for his philosophy and for current debates. Then I consider and reject as inconclusive some of Ross’s explicit and implicit motivations for his claim, stemming from his philosophy of action, his axiology, and his concept of intrinsic value, or a combination of these. I also criticize Ross’s later view that all right acts somehow produce some good, but that the value of some of these goods is explained by the prior rightness of the act. In the course of the discussion, the idea that acts can have intrinsic value apart from motives and consequences gains credibility both from the weaknesses in Ross’s arguments and from some putative examples. So, finally, I distinguish two attitudes in the history of ideal utilitarianism towards the necessity or not to give a detailed account of the intrinsic value of acts, and suggest that a Why Bother attitude is more promising than a Constructive one.
|
Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) |
Categories | (categorize this paper) |
DOI | 10.4148/jhap.v1i2.1348 |
Options |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Download options
References found in this work BETA
No references found.
Citations of this work BETA
Could Ross’s Pluralist Deontology Solve the Conflicting Duties Problem?Cecilia Tohaneanu - forthcoming - Revue Roumaine de Philosophie 59.
Similar books and articles
Ross, William David (1877-1971).Anthony Skelton - 2013 - In James Crimmins (ed.), Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Utilitarianism. Bloomsbury Academic.
Rossian Totalism About Intrinsic Value.Luis Oliveira - 2016 - Philosophical Studies 173 (8):2069-2086.
Moral Rules and Particular Circumstances.Baruch A. Brody - 1970 - Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall.
Does the Failure of Utilitarianism Justify a Belief in Intrinsic Value?: Ross’ and Moore's Default Arguments.Imtiaz Moosa - 2002 - Philo 5 (2):123-142.
Ideal Utilitarianism: Rashdall and Moore.Anthony Skelton - 2011 - In Thomas Hurka (ed.), Underivative Duty: British Moral Philosophers From Sidgwick to Ewing. Oxford University Press. pp. 45-65.
Can Act-Utilitarianism Be Put Into Practice?R. G. Frey - 1977 - Journal of Value Inquiry 11 (1):49-58.
Ross and Utilitarianism on Promise Keeping and Lying: Self‐Evidence and the Data of Ethics.Thomas L. Carson - 2005 - Philosophical Issues 15 (1):140–157.
Sir David Ross's Pluralistic Theory of Duty.Kenneth Wilson Cooley - 1992 - Dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Could Ross’s Pluralist Deontology Solve the Conflicting Duties Problem?Cecilia Tohaneanu - forthcoming - Revue Roumaine de Philosophie 59.
Analytics
Added to PP index
2012-02-03
Total views
107 ( #94,473 of 2,420,955 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
2 ( #351,470 of 2,420,955 )
2012-02-03
Total views
107 ( #94,473 of 2,420,955 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
2 ( #351,470 of 2,420,955 )
How can I increase my downloads?
Downloads