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Single Idea 9257
[filed under theme 23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 1. Virtue Theory / c. Particularism
]
Full Idea
Owing to the complication of human relations, the problem of what one ought to do from the point of view of life as a whole is one of intense difficulty.
Gist of Idea
The complexities of life make it almost impossible to assess morality from a universal viewpoint
Source
H.A. Prichard (What is the Basis of Moral Obligation? [1925])
Book Ref
Prichard,H.A.: 'Moral Writings' [OUP 2002], p.6
A Reaction
I suspect that the difficulty is not the problems engendered by complexity, but that there is no answer available from the most objective point of view. Morality simply is a matter of how daily life is conducted, with medium-term goals only.
The
18 ideas
with the same theme
[there are no rules, so we must attend to details]:
4369
|
It is not universals we must perceive for virtue, but particulars, seen as intrinsically good
[Aristotle, by Achtenberg]
|
5158
|
Actions concern particular cases, and rules must fit the cases, not the other way round
[Aristotle]
|
5237
|
We cannot properly judge by rules, because blame depends on perception of particulars
[Aristotle]
|
23362
|
All human ills result from failure to apply preconceptions to particular cases
[Epictetus]
|
20134
|
Moralities extravagantly address themselves to 'all', by falsely generalising
[Nietzsche]
|
24109
|
Actual morality is more complicated and subtle than theory (which gets paralysed)
[Nietzsche]
|
2935
|
No two actions are the same
[Nietzsche]
|
22475
|
Moral generalisation is wrong, because we should evaluate individual acts
[Nietzsche, by Foot]
|
9256
|
I see the need to pay a debt in a particular instance, and any instance will do
[Prichard]
|
9257
|
The complexities of life make it almost impossible to assess morality from a universal viewpoint
[Prichard]
|
9262
|
The mistake is to think we can prove what can only be seen directly in moral thinking
[Prichard]
|
5908
|
Prima facie duties rest self-evidently on particular circumstance
[Ross]
|
18671
|
The ground for an attitude is not a thing's 'goodness', but its concrete characteristics
[Ewing]
|
22343
|
If I attend properly I will have no choices
[Murdoch]
|
21025
|
Particularism gives no guidance for the future
[Nussbaum]
|
18664
|
Maybe the particularist moral thought of women is better than the impartial public thinking of men
[Kymlicka]
|
20214
|
Virtue theory can have lots of rules, as long as they are grounded in virtues and in facts
[Zagzebski]
|
4336
|
Any strict ranking of virtues or rules gets abandoned when faced with particular cases
[Hursthouse]
|