
Consequentialism Reconsidered
E. Carlson(Author)
Springer (Publisher)
Published on 7. December 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
X, 171 pages
978-90-481-4571-3 (ISBN)
Description
In
Consequentialism Reconsidered
, Carlson strives to find a plausible formulation of the structural part of consequentialism. Key notions are analyzed, such as outcomes, alternatives and performability. Carlson argues that consequentialism should be understood as a maximizing rather than a satisficing theory, and as temporally neutral rather than future oriented. He also shows that certain moral theories cannot be reformulated as consequentialist theories.
The relevant alternatives for an agent in a situation are taken to comprise all actions that they can perform in the situation. The defense of this idea necessitates certain modifications to the standard consequentialist criteria of obligatoriness, rightness and wrongness. The problem of whether agents should adapt their actions to their own future actions is also addressed. Further, a conditional analysis of performability is suggested, and it is argued that particular actions should in this connection be regarded as `abstract' rather than `concrete'. The final chapter sketches a consequentialist theory for collective agents.
The relevant alternatives for an agent in a situation are taken to comprise all actions that they can perform in the situation. The defense of this idea necessitates certain modifications to the standard consequentialist criteria of obligatoriness, rightness and wrongness. The problem of whether agents should adapt their actions to their own future actions is also addressed. Further, a conditional analysis of performability is suggested, and it is argued that particular actions should in this connection be regarded as `abstract' rather than `concrete'. The final chapter sketches a consequentialist theory for collective agents.
More details
Series
Edition
Softcover reprint of hardcover 1st ed. 1995
Language
English
Place of publication
Dordrecht
Netherlands
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Research
Illustrations
X, 171 p.
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
289 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-481-4571-3 (9789048145713)
DOI
10.1007/978-94-015-8553-8
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E. Carlson
Consequentialism Reconsidered
Book
08/1995
Kluwer Academic Publishers
€106.99
Shipment within 15-20 days
Content
1 Introduction.- 2 Consequentialism Characterized.- 3 Consequentialism and Moral Content.- 4 Outcomes.- 5 Performability.- 6 Alternatives and Consequentialist Principles.- 7 Actualism and Possibilism.- 8 Concretism and Abstractism.- 9 Group Consequentialism.- Appendix: Table of Consequentialist Principles.- References.