tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642011.post4342395074324185188..comments2023-10-29T10:32:36.914-04:00Comments on Philosophy, et cetera: Blameworthy UtilitariansRichard Y Chappellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16725218276285291235noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642011.post-16663256528285742812009-05-30T19:08:54.557-04:002009-05-30T19:08:54.557-04:00Ah, but note that Jack Bauer never makes mistakes,...Ah, but note that Jack Bauer never makes mistakes, so he's more like my 'Moe' character (rather than your ordinary semi-incompetent 'Meenie'). If the show were more realistic, such that Bauer's hubristic bumbling ended up causing disaster, then he'd be rather less popular (no matter his "good" intentions)!<br /><br />For the other topic you mention, see my posts on '<A HREF="http://www.philosophyetc.net/2007/09/regulating-aims.html" REL="nofollow">sophisticated consequentialism</A>' and '<A HREF="http://www.philosophyetc.net/2008/11/whats-wrong-with-self-effacing-theories.html" REL="nofollow">What's wrong with self-effacing moral theories?</A>'Richard Y Chappellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16725218276285291235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6642011.post-11045234887157722842009-05-30T18:52:00.745-04:002009-05-30T18:52:00.745-04:00My intuitive response to your assertion that the l...My intuitive response to your assertion that the level of virtue decreases as you go down the list is similar. However I notice a shift in public perception towards consequentialist figures. To take a popular example from contemporary culture, the television program 24 and its principal character Jack Bauer. His ruthless disobedience and unwillingness to keep to the rules keeps him out of favour with the authorities but in favour with the audience. <br /><br />I think a more important question is whether consequentialism defeats itself. Are deontologists or consequentialists happier? Do deontologists contribute to the greater good more or do consequentialists? The case is similar to the ethical egoist- if you promote ethical egoism then you undermine it because in doing so you are not furthering your own interests. To preach egoism is to practise altruism and to preach altruism is to practise egoism.emergencyphilosopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14458732533529039250noreply@blogger.com