more on this theme     |     more from this thinker

Single Idea 23121

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 1. Grounds of equality ]

Full Idea

It is an obviolus fact that some people are morally better than others and that some are morally worse.

Gist of Idea

It is just a fact that some people are morally better than others

Source

John Kekes (Against Liberalism [1997], 10.4)

Book Ref

Kekes,John: 'Against Liberalism' [Cornell 1997], p.209

A Reaction

This could be conceded, without then asserting that the moral ones are superior, or more deserving. That is a social strategy, rather than a fact. We can challenge the criteria for 'morally better', but we can't deny a rankng once it is agreed.

The 38 ideas from 'Against Liberalism'

23079 Liberal justice ignores desert, which is the essence of justice [Kekes]
23083 Liberal welfare focuses on need rather than desert [Kekes]
23081 Liberal basics are pluralism, freedom, rights, equality, and distributive justice - for autonomy [Kekes]
23082 Liberal distribution cares more about recipients than donors [Kekes]
23084 Are egalitarians too coercive, or not egalitarian enough, or lax over morality? [Kekes]
23085 The key liberal values are explained by the one core value, which is autonomy [Kekes]
23086 Liberals say we are only responsible for fully autonomous actions [Kekes]
23087 Much human evil is not autonomous, so moral responsibility need not be autonomous [Kekes]
23088 Evil is not deviation from the good, any more than good is a deviation from evil [Kekes]
23089 Evil people may not be autonomously aware, if they misjudge the situation [Kekes]
23090 Liberals assume people are naturally free, equal, rational, and morally good [Kekes]
23091 Why do liberals not see a much wider range of values as basic? [Kekes]
23092 Agents have little control over the capacities needed for liberal autonomy [Kekes]
23093 Moral and causal responsibility are not clearly distinct [Kekes]
23096 Morality should aim to prevent all evil actions, not just autonomous ones [Kekes]
23094 Ought implies can means moral responsibility needs autonomy [Kekes]
23095 Why should moral responsibility depend on autonomy, rather than social role or experience? [Kekes]
23097 What matters for morality is the effects of action, not the psychological causes [Kekes]
23098 Effects show the existence of moral responsibility, and mental states show the degree [Kekes]
23099 It is said that if an agent is not autonomous then their evil actions don't reflect on their character [Kekes]
23100 Collective responsibility conflicts with responsibility's requirement of authonomy [Kekes]
23101 Intuitions don't prove things; they just receptivity to interpretations [Kekes]
23103 Power is meant to be confined to representatives, and subsequent delegation [Kekes]
23102 Liberals are egalitarians, but in varying degrees [Kekes]
23105 It is not deplorable that billionaires have more than millionaires [Kekes]
23106 To rectify the undeserved equality, we should give men longer and women shorter lives [Kekes]
23107 Prosperity is a higher social virtue than justice [Kekes]
23108 Justice combines consistency and desert; treat likes alike, judging likeness by desert [Kekes]
23109 The veil of ignorance is only needed because people have bad motivations [Kekes]
23112 Liberals ignore contingency, and think people are good and equal, and institutions cause evil [Kekes]
23113 Sexual morality doesn't require monogamy, but it needs a group of sensible regulations [Kekes]
23114 The chief function of the state is to arbitrate between contending visions of the good life [Kekes]
23116 Citizenship is easier than parenthood [Kekes]
23117 Love should be partial, and discriminate in favour of its object [Kekes]
23118 Awareness of others' suffering doesn't create an obligation to help [Kekes]
23119 Sentimental love distorts its object [Kekes]
23120 The problem is basic insufficiency of resources, not their inequality [Kekes]
23121 It is just a fact that some people are morally better than others [Kekes]