Minimizing harm : three problems in moral theory

Chapter 1 (Distance and Morality): This chapter is a response toFrances Kamm's "Faminine Ethics: the Problem of Distance in Morality and Singer's Ethical Theory". I argue that Kamm fails to produce a pair of cases in which a moral difference is present that is not attributable to factors other than distance. I claim that all of Kamm's pairs of cases that purportedly show that distance per se matters in morality, and in which Kamm's moral intuitions seem plausible, can be subdivided into two categories: (1) the cases are not, contrary to first appearances, properly equalized for all non-distance factors that might reasonably be expected to play a moral role; and (2) the cases are properly equalized, but only in virtue of stipulations that are very hard to believe or even fully comprehend; thus our intuitions refuse to reflect those stipulations even if we seem to accept them. I also point out that Kamm's attempts at explaining why distance could possibly matter in morality fall far short, as she herself admits. I conclude that there is no reason for us to believe that distance matters in morality, and offer an explanation of why it might nevertheless appear to us that it does - there are numerous factors that apparently are of moral significance, and that are normally correlated with distance. In the process, I offer a fewmethodological remarks and suggestions, the importance of which, I believe, transcends this particular discussion. Chapter 2: (The Problem of Numbers): In this chapter I discuss whether or not numbers matter in morality in the way that most people think they do, i.e. in the way which is best exemplified by the claim that all other things being equal, if two non-overlapping groups of people cannot both be saved,

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Linguistics and Philosophy.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2002

Author dc:creator

• Friedman, Alexander

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Judith Jarvis Thomson.

• Linguistics and Philosophy.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/8155
• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/8155

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/8155