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Single Idea 21136

[filed under theme 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 5. Action Dilemmas / c. Omissions ]

Full Idea

Most uitlitarians do not distinguish between acts and omissions, and see no morally relevant difference between walking past a drowning child and pushing a child into a pond.

Gist of Idea

Utilitarians conflate acts and omissions; causing to drown and failing to save are the same

Source

Andrew Shorten (Contemporary Political Theory [2016], 09)

Book Ref

Shorten,Andrew: 'Contemporary Political Theory' [Palgrave 2016], p.264

A Reaction

He cites Peter Singer as an instance. The notorious Trolley Problem focuses on such issues. Michael Sandel in 'Justice' is good on that. If motive and intention matter, the two cases could be very different. Too timid to push, but also too timid to help?

The 17 ideas from 'Contemporary Political Theory'

21115 Liberalism should not make assumptions such as the value of choosing your own life plan [Shorten]
21114 Liberals treat individuals as mutual strangers, rather than as social beings [Shorten]
21113 Liberal equality concerns rights, and liberal freedom concerns choice of ends [Shorten]
21121 Liberal Nationalism encourages the promotion of nationalistic values [Shorten]
21123 Liberal Nationalism is more communitarian, and Constitutional Patriotism more cosmopolitan [Shorten]
21122 Liberal Nationalism says welfare states and democracy needed a shared sense of nationality [Shorten]
21118 Constitutional Patriotism unites around political values (rather than national identity) [Shorten]
21117 Liberal citizens have a moral requirement to respect freedom and equality [Shorten]
21124 Religious toleration has been institutionalised by the separation of church and state [Shorten]
21126 Representative should be either obedient, or sensible, or typical [Shorten]
21128 There is 'mirror representation' when the institution statistically reflects the population [Shorten]
21127 In a changed situation a Mandated Representative can't keep promises and fight for constituents [Shorten]
21129 Democracy is a method of selection, or it involves participation, or it concerns public discussion [Shorten]
21130 Some say democracy is intrinsically valuable, others that it delivers good outcomes [Shorten]
21134 Maybe the rational autonomous liberal individual is merely the result of domination [Shorten]
21135 There are eight different ways in which groups of people can be oppressed [Shorten, by PG]
21136 Utilitarians conflate acts and omissions; causing to drown and failing to save are the same [Shorten]