Moral Demands in Nonideal Theory (Oxford Ethics Series)

is There A Limit To The Legitimate Demands Of Morality? In Particular, Is There A Limit To People's Responsibility To Promote The Well-being Of Others, Either Directly Or Via Social Institutions? Utilitarianism Admits No Such Limit, And Is For That Reason Often Said To Be An Unacceptably Demanding Moral And Political View. In This Original New Study, Murphy Argues That The Charge Of Excessive Demands Amounts To Little More Than An Affirmation Of The Status Quo. The Real Problem With Utilitarianism Is That It Makes Unfair Demands On People Who Comply With It In Our World Of Nonideal Compliance. Murphy Shows That This Unfairness Does Not Arise On A Collective Understanding Of Our Responsibility For Others' Well Being. Thus, According To Murphy, While There Is No General Problem To Be Raised About The Extent Of Moral Demands, There Is A Pressing Need To Acknowledge The Collective Nature Of The Demands Of Beneficence. "Is there a limit to the legitimate demands of morality? In particular, is there a limit to people's responsibility to promote the well-being of others, either directly or via social institutions? Utilitarianism admits no such limit and is for that reason often said to be an unacceptably demanding moral and political view. In this original new study, Liam Murphy argues ingeniously that the charge of excessive demands turns out to be little more than an affirmation of the moral and political status quo"--Publisher's description "Is there a limit to the legitimate demands of morality? In particular, is there a limit to people's responsibility to promote the well-being of others, either directly or via social institutions? Utilitarianism admits no such limit and is for that reason often said to be an unacceptably demanding moral and political view. In this original new study, Liam Murphy argues ingeniously that the charge of excessive demands turns out to be little more than an affirmation of the moral and political status quo."--Jacket Contents......Page 10 1. Introduction......Page 14 2. Over-demandingness, Alienation, and Confinement......Page 20 3. Doubts about Over-demandingness......Page 45 4. Moderate Beneficence?......Page 74 5. Responsibility in Nonideal Theory: The Compliance Condition......Page 85 6. The Distribution of the Effects of Compliance......Page 113 7. The Collective Principle of Beneficence......Page 128 Notes......Page 146 Bibliography......Page 170 C......Page 176 N......Page 177 U......Page 178 W......Page 179 In some areas of moral and political thought, something like a consensus exists.