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Respect Of Utilitarianism: A Response To Regan's 'Receptacles Of Value' Objection, Scott Wilson
Respect Of Utilitarianism: A Response To Regan's 'Receptacles Of Value' Objection, Scott Wilson
Philosophy Faculty Publications
According to Regan, classical utilitarians value individuals in the wrong way: rather than valuing them directly, the utilitarians must value individuals merely as receptacles of what is valuable (i.e. pleasure). I demonstrate that Regan's argument is ineffective. I first show that Regan's argument presupposes a faulty understanding of the nature of hedonism and intrinsic value. I then argue that since pleasures are states of individuals, when a person values a pleasure she thereby values the individual as well.
The Species-Norm Account Of Moral Status, Scott Wilson
The Species-Norm Account Of Moral Status, Scott Wilson
Philosophy Faculty Publications
Many philosophers have argued against Singer’s claim that all animals are equal. However, none of these responses have demonstrated an appreciation of the complexity of his position. The result is that all of these responses focus on one of his arguments in a way that falls victim to another. This paper is a critical examination of a possible response to the full complexity of Singer’s position that derives from the work of Carl Cohen, Kathleen Wilkes, and F. Ramsey. On this response, a being’s moral status depends not on the capacities and abilities she does in fact have, but instead …