Participatory Moral Reasons: Their Scope and Strength

null, Garrett Cullity (University of Adelaide)

Dianoia Annual Seminar in Ethics & Metaethics

Garrett Cullity

Title: Participatory Moral Reasons: Their Scope and Strength

Abstract: According to ordinary moral thought, we have reasons to join in worthwhile group activities and reasons not to join in morally bad group activities. Reasons of both kinds can exist even when the group is very large, and your participation or non participation will make little difference to what is achieved by the group. If we take this thought seriously, two sets of questions arise. First, there are questions of scope. What conditions must a group meet in order to generate participatory reasons of these kinds, and what conditions must I meet for those reasons to apply to me? Secondly, there are questions about what it takes for such reasons to generate moral requirements. Can a general explanation be given of the conditions under which participating in worthwhile joint actions and not participating in bad ones is morally required? I present answers to these questions, and draw out some implications of the answers.

The presentation will be 45 minutes, followed by an hour for discussion. The time for the event is: Wednesday 17 Nov, 5:00-6:45 pm (New York); Wednesday 17 Nov, 10:00-11:45 pm (London); Thursday 18 Nov, 9:00-10:45 am (Melbourne).

This event will be held over Zoom. To receive the link and password, please register at https://acu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctf-2grTIoHdwqxnezlKlzclU4ymy6xKh6. For any questions, please email [email protected].