Justifying too much: is Utilitarianism a moral theory at all?

Bob Brecher

Justifying too much: is Utilitarianism a moral theory at all?

Bob Brecher

Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding with ISSN or ISBN › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

I argue that, were the utilitarian arguments for the use of interrogational torture in so-called ticking bomb scenarios sound, then they would also sanction the torture of people known to be wholly innocent. So either utilitarian arguments are unsound in their own terms; or, if sound, they suggest that utilitarianism is not a moral theory at all.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Interrogation and torture
Subtitle of host publication	research on its efficacy and its integration with legality and morality
Editors	S. Barela, M. Fallon, G. Gaggioli, D. Ohlin
Place of Publication	Oxford
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2019

Keywords

interrogational torture
ticking bomb
utilitarianism

Cite this

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title = "Justifying too much: is Utilitarianism a moral theory at all?",

abstract = "I argue that, were the utilitarian arguments for the use of interrogational torture in so-called ticking bomb scenarios sound, then they would also sanction the torture of people known to be wholly innocent. So either utilitarian arguments are unsound in their own terms; or, if sound, they suggest that utilitarianism is not a moral theory at all.",

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T2 - is Utilitarianism a moral theory at all?

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AB - I argue that, were the utilitarian arguments for the use of interrogational torture in so-called ticking bomb scenarios sound, then they would also sanction the torture of people known to be wholly innocent. So either utilitarian arguments are unsound in their own terms; or, if sound, they suggest that utilitarianism is not a moral theory at all.

KW - interrogational torture

KW - ticking bomb

KW - utilitarianism

M3 - Chapter

BT - Interrogation and torture

A2 - Barela, S.

A2 - Fallon, M.

A2 - Gaggioli, G.

A2 - Ohlin, D.

PB - Oxford University Press

CY - Oxford

ER -

Justifying too much: is Utilitarianism a moral theory at all?

Abstract

Keywords

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