Table 2 Difference in moral appeal from wellbeing and suffering
From: Does disease incite a stronger moral appeal than health?
View | Symmetry view | Asymmetry view |
|---|---|---|
Description | We have an equally strong moral obligation to promote other persons’ wellbeing as we have to reduce their suffering | We have stronger moral obligations towards other persons’ suffering than towards their wellbeing |
Theories, positions, or perspectives defending the view | Classical utilitarianism | • Negative utilitarianism • Ontology: substantial differences, different kinds, including eliminativism • Value theory, axiology: there are relative differences, difference in strength • Rule-based ethics/meta-ethics: asymmetrical purpose of morals • Virtue ethics: the moral asymmetry of virtues • Philosophy of language: logical and conceptual differences • Phenomenology: differences in phenomena |