Single Idea 22481

[catalogued under 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 5. Action Dilemmas / a. Dilemmas]

Full Idea

The 'remainder' after a dilemma can't be a matter of apology and restitution, because the dilemma may only involve the agent's own life, and in the case of broken promises we only owe an explanation, if the breaking is justifiable.

Gist of Idea

There is no restitution after a dilemma, if it only involved the agent, or just needed an explanation

Source

report of Philippa Foot (Moral Dilemmas Revisited [1995], p.183) by PG - Db (ideas)

Book Reference

Foot,Philippa: 'Moral Dilemmas' [OUP 2002], p.183


A Reaction

But what if someone has been financially ruined by it? If the agent feels guilty about that, is getting over it the rational thing to do? (Foot says that is an new obligation, and not part of the original dilemma).