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Assessing Peter Singer's argument for utilitarianism :drawing a lesson from Rousseau and Kant
Buckle, Stephen
Buckle, Stephen
Author
Abstract
In Practical Ethics, Peter Singer argues that utilitarianism is a first step that we must take, if we are to think morally and that moving away from utilitarianism requires justification. This is a strong claim. In effect, it is to claim that utilitarianism is the default setting for moral thinking and that the onus of proof falls on anyone who resists utilitarianism.<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10790-011-9279-8#Fn1" id="x-x-x-x-Fn1_source">1 The argument has a starting-point in self-interest and is flawed for that reason. This flaw is comparable to a problem in the argument Rousseau advances for a social contract. Kant offers a solution to the problem that shows the kind of adjustment needed to improve Singer’s argument. The problem Singer faces stems from an assumption of self-interest typical of evolutionary naturalism, even though when he turns to consider evolutionary theory and its significance, he rejects the assumption.
Keywords
social contract, ethical justification, practical ethic, negative liberty, psychological egoism
Date
2011
Type
Journal article
Journal
The Journal of Value Inquiry
Book
Volume
45
Issue
2
Page Range
215-227
Article Number
ACU Department
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Open Access Status
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File Access
Controlled