Moral Uncertainty and Its ConsequencesWe are often uncertain how to behave morally in complex situations. In this controversial study, Ted Lockhart contends that moral philosophy has failed to address how we make such moral decisions. Adapting decision theory to the task of decision-making under moral uncertainly, he proposes that we should not always act how we feel we ought to act, and that sometimes we should act against what we feel to be morally right. Lockhart also discusses abortion extensively and proposes new ways to deal with the ethical and moral issues which surround it. |
Contents
1 Decisionmaking under Moral Uncertainty | 3 |
2 Principles for Decisionmaking under Moral Uncertainty | 22 |
3 Abortion and Moral Uncertainty | 50 |
4 Degrees of Moral Rightness | 74 |
5 Shall I Act Supererogatorily? | 98 |
6 Confidentiality and Moral Uncertainty | 111 |
7 A DecisionTheoretic Reconstruction of Roe v Wade | 124 |
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Common terms and phrases
abortion according act supererogatorily act utilitarianism action choices apply argue argument assume believe binary hypothesis chapter choose concept of moral confidentiality consequentialist courses of action Court criterion decision table decision theory decision-making under moral degrees of justice degrees of moral ethical ethical egoism ethicists Example 1.1 expected degree expected moral rightness expected utility facie duty fetus fetuses greater hedons important individual actions issue lifetime courses many-valued concept maximizing the probability means moral agents moral considerations moral decision-making moral decisions moral dilemmas moral luck moral obligation moral theories moral uncertainty morally optimal morally wrong Nick nonmoral norm option outweigh p(not-A p₂ PEMT person philosophers physician possible prescribes prima facie duty principle principle of indifference problem question rational decision-making reason right to privacy rightness or wrongness rule utilitarian Sicilian defense situation supererogation supererogatory actions t₂ thesis things considered true uncertain utilitarian values of p₁ violate x₁ at t₁