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The Rationally Supererogatory

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Bales, Adam 

Abstract

jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pThe notion of supererogation—going above and beyond the call of duty—is typically discussed in a moral context. However, in this paper we argue for the existence of rationally supererogatory actions: that is, actions that go above and beyond the call of rational duty. In order to establish the existence of such actions, we first need to overcome the so-called paradox of supererogation: we need to provide some explanation for why, if some act is rationally optimal, it is not the case that we are rationally required to carry out that act. We argue that a response to this ‘paradox’ can be found by reflecting on normative conflicts: cases where what is best according to some normative domain is different from what is best according to some other normative domain.</jats:p>

Description

Keywords

5003 Philosophy, 50 Philosophy and Religious Studies

Journal Title

MIND

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0026-4423
1460-2113

Volume Title

129

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Rights

All rights reserved