Single Idea 6032

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 9. Contractualism]

Full Idea

Right action is whatever, once it has been done, has a reasonable justification.

Gist of Idea

Right actions, once done, are those with a reasonable justification

Source

Sextus Empiricus (Against the Professors (six books) [c.180], 7.158)

Book Reference

'The Hellenistic Philosophers:Vol.1 translations', ed/tr. Long,A. /Sedley,D. [CUP 1987], p.451


A Reaction

Why does he add 'once it has been done'? Wouldn't a proposed action be right if it had a reasonable justification? This grows out of the classical and Stoic emphasis on reason in ethics, and leads towards Scanlon's Contractualism.