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Single Idea 20193

[from 'Virtues of the Mind' by Linda Trinkaus Zagzebski, in 22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / i. Moral luck ]

Full Idea

Because of moral luck, the realm of the morally praiseworthy / blameworthy is not indisputably within one's voluntary control or accessible to one's consciousness.

Gist of Idea

Moral luck means our praise and blame may exceed our control or awareness

Source

Linda Trinkaus Zagzebski (Virtues of the Mind [1996], I 4.2)

Book Reference

Zagzebski,Linda: 'Virtues of the Mind' [CUP 1996], p.70


A Reaction

[She particularly cites Thomas Nagel for this] It is a fact that we will be blamed (more strongly) when we have moral bad luck, but the question is whether we should be. It seems harsh, but you can't punish someone as if they had had bad luck.