Single Idea 4330

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

Full Idea

With respect to resolvable dilemmas, the deontologist's strategy is to argue that the 'conflict' between the two rules which has generated the dilemma is merely apparent.

Clarification

Deontologists hold that moral consists of following rules

Gist of Idea

Deontologists resolve moral dilemmas by saying the rule conflict is merely apparent

Source

Rosalind Hursthouse (On Virtue Ethics [1999], Ch.2)

Book Reference

Hursthouse,Rosalind: 'On Virtue Ethics' [OUP 2001], p.52


A Reaction

This assumes that the rules can't conflict (because they come for God, or pure reason), but we might say that there are correct rules which do conflict. Morality isn't physics, or tennis.