Ethical Theory and Obligatory Ends

The concept of an obligatory end is commonly associated with Kantian ethics, specifically, with Kant's idea that there are duties to adopt the happiness of others and one's own perfection as ends. However, the notion of obligatory ends has been recently attracting philosophical interest from outside Kantian tradition and there is good reason to think that this notion can be fruitfully employed in moral theorising beyond Kantian ethics. Obligatory ends play an important role in recent treatments of topics such as supererogation (Portmore 2023), moral demandingness and justification of moral options (Hanser 2014, Igneski 2008, Noggle 2009, Sticker 2024), collective harm (Albertzart 2019), and moral and non-moral normativity more generally (Bastian 2025, Greenspan 2010, Portmore ms, van Ackeren & Sticker 2018). The aim of this workshop is to further investigate the nature of obligatory ends and the role they can play in ethical theory broadly construed.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of questions, with which this workshop is concerned:

• What is the nature of obligatory ends? How are they related to other kinds of moral requirements? What obligatory ends are there?
• How does the concept of an obligatory end relate to other normative concepts, such as rights, duties to act, reasons for action and reasons for attitudes?
• Should morality be conceived as fundamentally end-based?
• What are the implications of admitting obligatory ends as part of the moral landscape? How well do obligatory ends fit within non-consequentialist moral theories that admit of options and constraints?

Participation is free, but registration is required and places are limited.

Registration deadline: 08 June 2026

Register at obligatory.ends(at)uni-bielefeld(dot)de

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