Philosophy
Driving home from dropping my in-laws at the airport this morning at 4:00, I was thinking about supererogation, that is, acts that are good, but not necessary, actions that are morally above and beyond the call of duty. TheWife and I recently had a discussion about the limits of such actions, when should you say no. Most such acts will cause some degree of inconvenience, but the question is what criterion should you use to determine when the request is over the line. When someone asks something of you that is not required of you, how do you determine whether to say yes or no? Think of helping a friend move. What are the operative factors? Is it a function of your relationship to the person? How long you've known him or her? Whether you may need to ask something of that person later? Is it a matter of how big the favor is or are there some people who could ask the world? Is it a matter of how much you dislike the fumes while painting a friend's house? If some of these are the real reason you say no, are you honest about it? Do you still feel guilty even though it was not a moral requirement? Should you still feel guilty?
- The Power (or Lack Thereof) Of Symbolic Acts
Been thinking about symbolic acts lately and on Thanksgiving it seems appropriate to discuss. TheWife was reading an article that urged the President-Elect to take a large swath of the White House lawn and make it into an organic orchard as a symbol of...
- Do You Have To Do Something To Do Something Good?
Whenever I teach ethics, one point in Kant's discussion that always gives rise to an interesting conversation is his claim that for an act to be of moral worth, it cannot serve any positive purpose for the person who does it. Even if it just makes...
- When Is Lying Lying?
A great post over at Dispatches From the Culture Wars, in which Ed Brayton tells the following wonderful story:About 10 or 12 years ago I was playing poker at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. At the table with me was an older gentleman from South Carolina...
- Judging Actions, Judging People
One of the barriers to robust moral discourse in our society is a reluctance on the part of smart, thoughtful, caring people to make clear judgments about the actions of others, even when the actions are clearly wrong. One of the major sources of this...
- Are Scientists Who Feel Their Moral Obligations Still Authorities?
Dr. Freeride has a fantastic post about the relationship between journalists and sceintists. She disucsses the "balance" in today's reporting where journalists see scientists as just another group of spinners instead of the people in the room who...
Philosophy
Supererogation
Driving home from dropping my in-laws at the airport this morning at 4:00, I was thinking about supererogation, that is, acts that are good, but not necessary, actions that are morally above and beyond the call of duty. TheWife and I recently had a discussion about the limits of such actions, when should you say no. Most such acts will cause some degree of inconvenience, but the question is what criterion should you use to determine when the request is over the line. When someone asks something of you that is not required of you, how do you determine whether to say yes or no? Think of helping a friend move. What are the operative factors? Is it a function of your relationship to the person? How long you've known him or her? Whether you may need to ask something of that person later? Is it a matter of how big the favor is or are there some people who could ask the world? Is it a matter of how much you dislike the fumes while painting a friend's house? If some of these are the real reason you say no, are you honest about it? Do you still feel guilty even though it was not a moral requirement? Should you still feel guilty?
- The Power (or Lack Thereof) Of Symbolic Acts
Been thinking about symbolic acts lately and on Thanksgiving it seems appropriate to discuss. TheWife was reading an article that urged the President-Elect to take a large swath of the White House lawn and make it into an organic orchard as a symbol of...
- Do You Have To Do Something To Do Something Good?
Whenever I teach ethics, one point in Kant's discussion that always gives rise to an interesting conversation is his claim that for an act to be of moral worth, it cannot serve any positive purpose for the person who does it. Even if it just makes...
- When Is Lying Lying?
A great post over at Dispatches From the Culture Wars, in which Ed Brayton tells the following wonderful story:About 10 or 12 years ago I was playing poker at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. At the table with me was an older gentleman from South Carolina...
- Judging Actions, Judging People
One of the barriers to robust moral discourse in our society is a reluctance on the part of smart, thoughtful, caring people to make clear judgments about the actions of others, even when the actions are clearly wrong. One of the major sources of this...
- Are Scientists Who Feel Their Moral Obligations Still Authorities?
Dr. Freeride has a fantastic post about the relationship between journalists and sceintists. She disucsses the "balance" in today's reporting where journalists see scientists as just another group of spinners instead of the people in the room who...