Making Morality Work

by Holly M. Smith

Overview

Most of us hope to do what morality requires of us. But what if we can't figure out what it does require? A soldier may know that morality requires him not to kill an innocent civilian but he can't tell whether the driver of a suspicious car is an innocent civilian or a terrorist about to detonate a bomb. Holly M. Smith addresses this problem in Making Morality Work by asking whether we should reject moral codes that can't be used by anyone hampered by inadequate information. When considering questions of morality, we call on moral theories to play both a theoretical and a practical role. These theories provide accounts of what makes actions right or wrong, and also provide a standard by which agents can guide their own conduct. It is usually assumed that a single theory can serve both roles, but limited knowledge often prevents people from using traditional normative theories to make decisions. Smith examines three major strategies for addressing this 'epistemic problem' in morality before developing an innovative solution that overcomes the weaknesses of prior approaches. Making Morality Work opens a path towards resolving a deep problem in moral life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780192547644
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	04/19/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	448
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Holly M. Smith is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University, following appointments at Tufts University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois-Chicago, and the University of Arizona. She has published widely on topics in normative ethics, moral decision making, the theory of moral responsibility, and bio-medical ethics.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Using Moral Principles to Guide Decisions
3. Impediments to Usability: Error, Ignorance, and Uncertainty
4. Pragmatic Responses to the Problem of Error
5. A Further Disadvantage of Subjectivized Moral Codes
6. Non-Ideal Pragmatic Responses to the Problem of Error
7. Assessing Non-Ideal Pragmatic Responses to the Problem of Error
8. Hybrid and Austere Responses to the Problem of Error
9. The Problems of Ignorance and Uncertainty
10. The Hybrid Solution to the Problems of Error and Uncertainty
11. Multiple-Rule Hybrid Solutions to the Problems of Error and Uncertainty
12. Developing the Hybrid Solution
13. Developing the Hybrid Solution
14. Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

"Recommended." — S.A. Mason, CHOICE

From the Publisher