Deontological Restrictions and the Good/Bad Asymmetry

Author: Alm, David

Source: Journal of Moral Philosophy, Volume 6, Number 4, 2009 , pp. 464-481(18)

Publisher: BRILL

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Abstract:

I argue that a defense of deontological restrictions need not resort to what I call the 'Good/Bad asymmetry', according to which it is morally more important to avoid harming others than to prevent just such harm. I replace this paradoxical asymmetry with two non-paradoxical (if also non-obvious) ones. These are the following: (a) We ought to treat an act of preventing harm to persons precisely as such (as a harm prevention), rather than as the causing of a benefit; but we ought to treat an act that causes harm precisely as such (as a harm causing), rather than as the prevention of a benefit. (b) It is morally more important not to cause harm than to cause benefit. I show how we can use those asymmetries, together with certain other assumptions, to defend restrictions. I also offer a partial defense of the first of the two asymmetries.

Keywords: AGENT-RELATIVITY; BENEFIT; DEONTOLOGY; HARM

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/174046809X12464327133131

Publication date: 2009-12-01