Rüdiger Bittner argues that the aim of thinking about what to do, of practical reason, is to find, not what we ought to do, but what it is good to do under the circumstances. Neither under prudence nor under morality are there things we ought to do. There is no warrant for the idea of our being required, by natural law or by our rationality, to do either what helps us attain our ends or what is right for moral reasons. While common moral understanding is committed to there being things we ought to do and to our being guilty and deserving blame if we fail to do them, we can lay aside these notions without loss, indeed with benefit.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Introduction
- Part A: What we ought to do
- I: Practical reason and what we ought to do
- II: Prudence and what we ought to do
- III: Morality and what we ought to do
- Part B. Good things to do
- I: Practical reason is about good things for somebody to do
- II: Reasons in favour
- III: Objections
- IV: How to find out what are good things for one to do
- Conclusion
