Home > EIP > Vol. 18 > Iss. 1 (2017)
Article Title
Rights
© Peter Murphy 2017
Abstract
As effective altruists often point out affluent people can do great good for others without having to make significant self-sacrifices. What is the correct moral assessment of patterns of giving that bring about great good and yet carry little in the way of self-sacrifice? Here I will clarify this question, state why it is important, and argue for an answer to it. After sketching the intuitive category of the morally best acts, I argue that self-sacrifice is not a condition that an act must meet to be among the morally best acts. I argue that self-sacrifice is instead a condition that agents must meet to be deserving of the highest praise.
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.7710/1526-0569.1571
Recommended Citation
Murphy, Peter (2017) "But Does It Hurt?," Essays in Philosophy: Vol. 18: Iss. 1, Article 8. http://dx.doi.org/10.7710/1526-0569.1571