The Dimensions of Consequentialism

JNC Academic Books Verified independent store

→

Martin PetersonCambridge University PressEdition: Reprint, 8/6/2015EAN 9781107540606, ISBN10: 1107540607Paperback, 228 pages, 22.9 x 15.2 x 1.3 cmLanguage: EnglishConsequentialism, one of the major theories of normative ethics, maintains that the moral rightness of an act is determined solely by the act's consequences. The traditional form of consequentialism is one-dimensional, in that the rightness of an act is a function of a single moral aspect, such as the sum total of wellbeing it produces. In this book Martin Peterson introduces a new type of consequentialist theory: multidimensional consequentialism. According to this theory, an act's moral rightness depends on several separate dimensions, including individual wellbeing, equality and risk. Peterson's novel approach shows that moral views about equality and risk that were previously thought to be mutually incompatible can be rendered compatible, and his precise theoretical discussion helps the reader to understand better the distinction between consequentialist and non-consequentialist theories. His book will interest a wide range of readers in ethics.Preface1. Introduction2. Degrees of rightness3. First dimensionpersons4. Second dimensionequality5. Third dimensionrisk6. Multidimensional decision making7. The best one-dimensional theory8. The limits of consequentialismAppendixmultidimensional deontic logic. Show more