The Ethical Significance of the Consequences of Our Actions: Contemporary Theory of Action, Aquinas, and the Utilitarian Point of View

Human actions have consequences for others and for oneself. The consequences may be positive. They may, however, also be devastating. This is why it is important for the moral evaluation of actions to take their consequences into account. The ethical significance of the consequences may depend on m...

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Main Author: Stefan Hofmann
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Catholic Academy in Warsaw 2023-12-01
Series:Warszawskie Studia Teologiczne
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Online Access:https://czasopismowst.pl/index.php/wst/article/view/429
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author Stefan Hofmann
author_facet Stefan Hofmann
author_sort Stefan Hofmann
collection DOAJ
description Human actions have consequences for others and for oneself. The consequences may be positive. They may, however, also be devastating. This is why it is important for the moral evaluation of actions to take their consequences into account. The ethical significance of the consequences may depend on many aspects: From the point of view of action theory, ethicists may distinguish different kinds of consequences, like intended/unintended or foreseen/unforeseen consequences. From the point of view of normative ethics, scholars give different ethical weight to the consequences. This paper tries to combine insights from both disciplines: In section 1, I present a view of the consequences which draws heavily on contemporary theory of action. In section 2, I compare the normative accounts of three exemplary moral philosophers: the act utilitarian theory of John J. C. Smart, the rule utilitarian account of Richard Brandt, and the scholastic approach of Thomas Aquinas. I argue that we should give different moral weight to different kinds of consequences. It is shown that when it comes to complex actions, Aquinas’ account is more sophisticated and has more intuitive support than its utilitarian rivals.
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spelling doaj-art-289db44c13b649d382198b6c2a9f6ad82025-02-02T18:48:27ZdeuCatholic Academy in WarsawWarszawskie Studia Teologiczne0209-37822719-75302023-12-0136210.30439/WST.2023.2.8The Ethical Significance of the Consequences of Our Actions: Contemporary Theory of Action, Aquinas, and the Utilitarian Point of ViewStefan Hofmann0University of Innsbruck, Austria Human actions have consequences for others and for oneself. The consequences may be positive. They may, however, also be devastating. This is why it is important for the moral evaluation of actions to take their consequences into account. The ethical significance of the consequences may depend on many aspects: From the point of view of action theory, ethicists may distinguish different kinds of consequences, like intended/unintended or foreseen/unforeseen consequences. From the point of view of normative ethics, scholars give different ethical weight to the consequences. This paper tries to combine insights from both disciplines: In section 1, I present a view of the consequences which draws heavily on contemporary theory of action. In section 2, I compare the normative accounts of three exemplary moral philosophers: the act utilitarian theory of John J. C. Smart, the rule utilitarian account of Richard Brandt, and the scholastic approach of Thomas Aquinas. I argue that we should give different moral weight to different kinds of consequences. It is shown that when it comes to complex actions, Aquinas’ account is more sophisticated and has more intuitive support than its utilitarian rivals. https://czasopismowst.pl/index.php/wst/article/view/429ConsequencesUtilitarianismAction TheoryThomas Aquinas
spellingShingle Stefan Hofmann
The Ethical Significance of the Consequences of Our Actions: Contemporary Theory of Action, Aquinas, and the Utilitarian Point of View
Warszawskie Studia Teologiczne
Consequences
Utilitarianism
Action Theory
Thomas Aquinas
title The Ethical Significance of the Consequences of Our Actions: Contemporary Theory of Action, Aquinas, and the Utilitarian Point of View
title_full The Ethical Significance of the Consequences of Our Actions: Contemporary Theory of Action, Aquinas, and the Utilitarian Point of View
title_fullStr The Ethical Significance of the Consequences of Our Actions: Contemporary Theory of Action, Aquinas, and the Utilitarian Point of View
title_full_unstemmed The Ethical Significance of the Consequences of Our Actions: Contemporary Theory of Action, Aquinas, and the Utilitarian Point of View
title_short The Ethical Significance of the Consequences of Our Actions: Contemporary Theory of Action, Aquinas, and the Utilitarian Point of View
title_sort ethical significance of the consequences of our actions contemporary theory of action aquinas and the utilitarian point of view
topic Consequences
Utilitarianism
Action Theory
Thomas Aquinas
url https://czasopismowst.pl/index.php/wst/article/view/429
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