Theory of Good and Right

372 Pages·1979·13.694 MB·English

by  Richard B. Brandt

ATHE1R0Y
I
OFTHE
GOODA ND
THER IGHT
RichBBa.rr adndt
AT HEOROYF
THEG OOD
ANDT HER IGHT
RichBa.Br rda ndt
CLARENDONOPXRFEOSRSD·
1979
OxfoUrndi vePrrseiWstasyl, t Sotnr eOextf,oo rxd26 DP
OXFORLD0 "'100N GLASGOW
',,£.\ItY ORKT OA0"1TO/l.1 F.I.BlW)FlL'LRlN"'1F.G TO"J
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KUALAL l'\tPLS:lR'i GAPOJRA[K ARTHAO �GK O-..:GT OKYO
DU.IHlOl \-IHCAAYL CUTT,\A1 ADRAKSA RA(..111
Publi11st1h heUedn itSetda btye s
OxforUdn ivePrrseiNstesyw,Y ork
© OxforUdn n•ePrrseistsy 1979
Alnlg hrtess eNrovp eadro.tft hpiusb limcaaybt eir oenp roduced,
sloIIIr aer de trsiyesv/aoelr/m r,a nsm111i atntfyeo dro,mrb ya nmye ans,
elatrmoemcch.a mpchaolt,o croepcyoir1od1roig tn,hg e,rw w1itsheo,1 1t
f
thper ipoerr miosOssfioornUd 11 ivePrrse1stsy
BritLiisbhr aCrayt alogiuniP nugb licaDtaitoan
BranRditc,h Baorodk er
A theoorfty hg eo oadn tdh rei ght.
, E.t hics
I.T itle
170 BJ,012
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Rll"har(T dh CeCh laau)c'e r Press) Ltd,
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PREFACE
THIBSO OKi sa ne xpanosfiJ oonhL no cklee ctudreelsi,va etr ed
OxforUdn iveirnst ihstepy r ionf1g 9 7A4 b.a stihce osfi st hese
lectwuarseh,so wevpeurfot,r wamrtd.: ecahr liinae L ri,n dley
lectauttr heUe n iverosfKi atnys ianMs a rc1h9,6 p3u,b lished
byt haUtn iverusnidtetyrh t ei t'lMeo,r Pahli losaonpdth hye
AnalyosfLi asn guaTgheit'sh. e hsiasdb otchr itaincdca oln ­
strucfatcievtTesh .ec ritoincewa alst haitti sm isguitdoe d
ranstahcfaekc tosfo rdinuasorefy e thilcaanlg uianog red er to
idenatniafyl tyrtuitch sc awbnhe ia foc uhn datfoirno onr mative
reaso(naci onmgm itcmoemnmto tnob otthr adi'trieopnoarlt ive'
naturaanltdio sp trse scrilpitRki.eMv .iH satrsea )n,dt h aitti s
atb esdtu bitoous su pptohseeir sae n 'ys tanpdraarcdtw ihciec'h
peopulseie n t haep praoifes tahli jcuadlg em(ewnhtaIsht a d
assumienmd ye arlEitehriT chaeloT rhyec) o.n striudcewtaai sv e
thied entifiocfta wtoiq oune stidoinffse,rfr eonmtt hoen es
witwhh imcohr pahli loshoapvhteer rasd itbieoecnnoa nlcleyr ned,
buwth iccha ptautlr eea msotso tfw haitsc leaanrdi mportant
int hter adiqtuieosntaTilho enfi sr.so tft heisse': W hawto ulad
pers(opne rhaalpples r soinfrs a)t,i ionnt ahlse e nosfeh aving
madoep tiumsaoelf a lalv ailianbfolrem awtainoatnn ,dc hoose
tod o?T'h es ecoins'd:W hakti nodfm orsayls tieafmn ,yw ,o uld
sucahp erssounp pfoorra ts ociienwt hyi hcehe xpecttole idv e?'
Reflecotnit ohnet sweqo u estlieomdne ts oa r atphreorl onged
inquiinrttyoh faec tasn dt heoorfie emsp irpiscyaclh oilno gy,
searocfwh h aat' ratipoenrasmloi'ng whatn atn cd hootsode o .
Ther esuolftt hswi esr ree warbdeiynogmn ydi nietxipaelc tations,
anda repoorftt h ema,n do ft heiimrp licfoartt ihobena ss ic
questfoiromnespd,e rhtahpmeso sitn terpeasrtotift n hLge o de
lectuarnedis sa,c entferaatluo rfte h per esbeonotFk o.tr h ese
datsah eldi gohnth owt oc ritiocuirbz aesm ioct ivations-a
problwehmi cihso fu rgepnrta ctiimcpaolr tfoarnd ceec ision­
makianngad,b owuhti tcrha dipthiiolnoashloa hpsah wdyo efully
litttosl aeby e,y ounrdg iunstg oi nspwehcawtte r eawlalnyot r,
toa ppetaool u 'ri ntuiTthiimosan tse'ar.li saaolsw, e s haslele ,
viP REFACE
throlwisgo hntt h qeu estoifwo hnak ti nodfm orsayls tae m
ratipoenraswloo nu sludp pfoorrh tis so ciethye-naocnnetd h e
derivoafbt aisominoc r parli nciples.
A gremaatn oyt hteorp aircdesi scuisnts hepedr esbeonotk ;
ane arlvieerrso ifmo ynp ropoosnma alnsoy ft hewsaeis n t he
Loclkeec tuIrtme asyb. eh elptfuoal l esrotmr ee adteoor nse
facatb otuhte dsies custshiiaontmn asni:ym portantt herye spects
arvee rdyi fferfreonmtt h vei eewxsp reisnEs tehdi Tchaelo ry.
ReadoefEr tsh iTchaelow rhyoh avceo mmenotnpe adr otfts h e
presbeonothk a vtee ndteocd o nstirtau sae c onsiesxt­ent
pansoirro enfo rmulofat thvieio enew xsp reisnEs tehdiT chaelo ry.
Thicso nstriusmc itsitoanakn edln e atdoms i sunderstandings.
Whiallem oaslttlh peu reclryi tpiacroatflEs t hiThceaolrs yt ill
seetmom es ountdh,pe o sivtiieviwenst hper esbeonotak r e
substantiafrlolmyt hdooisftffe eh ereae rnlbtio eoarkta lmost
eveproyi Tnhte.c rucCihaalp rtoeo rft heea rlbioeo(rk' The
JustifiocfEa tthiiBocenal lih eaftdsob ' er) e plaalcmeowdsh to. l ly
Thep sychoalcocgoioucftna htele a rbloioewkrar sa tphreirm itive.
Thep resceonntc epotf'i polnesaa snuodrf he e'd onairsveme ry
differaesin stt h,de i scuosfsw ihoacnta bne c ounatseb da sic
'intgroiondsSsioi'c ts. h c er itoiefcg iosiamsn amdc utt ilitarianism.
AgaiInn o,l onagferfit rhmaa nte qudails triobfwu etlifaiorsne
itsaeb lafsv iacl aunetd, h aec coouftn htue t ilitthaerooirfay n
distrijbuusttiiismvc ueec e hl aborIsa ttsieuldpl.p aofo rrtm of
'rule-utibluittth taehr einoaornwtyi a skmaefo' sr, m w hiscehe ms
tom es upenroioton rlt yot hber isekfe itncEh t hiThceaolrb yu t
altsooe arlpiaepreo rnts h atto ppiucb,l iisn1h 9e6da3 n d1 967.
SoI u rgree adoefEr tsh iThceaol, tyofo rgtehta bto owkh ile
readtihnpegr esoenneat,n t dou nderstthbaionsod ok nt hbea sis
simpolfwy h aitst a ys.
Commeonntt sh gee neosfti hspe r esbeonotwk o ulbedi n­
complweittehm oeuntt oifot nhi en fluoeftn wcpoeh ilosophers:
JohRna walnsWd i llFiraamn kReanwalw.so 'rhska bse eacn on­
stasntti muwlhueIsrh ,ea vneob te ecno nvibnyhc iemtd,do evelop
an'a ltervniaetHwiek.v i en adlllyo mwete odu saene arvleiresri on
ofh ibso oiknm, i meogforrampa,hsa t efoxrta c ouornsn eo rma­
tievteh tiacusg Iht th,i innkt ,hs ep rionf1g 9 6I9w .a msu ch
stimublyta htceeh da lloefhn ivgsie et wha ad te rivoafnt oiromna ­
tipvrei nciiispm lpeoss esxicbbelypaer t e stroinic ntfoiromna tion
PREFA,C1E1
oft hkei ncdo ntembpylh aictsoe ndc oefap ' tv eoifil g norance'.
Ato nset aIge es senatdioaplatlfo eyrd mo fh ipsr opaobsoaaul t
meantionb gea ssitgonm eodr parle dilcia'ktmeeo sr railglhyt '
-thaatna ctiisro ing ihaftn odn liyif tw oubledp ermibtyted
am orcaold weh iaclhrl a tionalc oupaelcrdcs eopnts abehind
'veoifil g norance'l-aatfoletrrrh ,eo ausgtohhn awsti alplp ear
belIoc wa,mt eot hitnhkta htbe a spirco bfolrem mo rpahli losophy
isd iffefrroemnt th oen iem plbiyte hdci osn cepatniidoso n n,e
mucchl otsote hrse u ggemsatdiieonm n y 1 96L3i ndlleecyt ure.
Ing eneIrh aalvb,ee emnu cihn fluebnycR eadw lpsu'bsl ished
worikno nwea oyra notIhh earva.el p sroo fifrtoemcd o nversations
withhi mb,o tahtl unchaetto hnUesn iveorfMs iicthyi dguarni ng
hiyse hare rien1 975a-n6od,v emri d-aftCeorcnao-oCnot hleas at
CentfoerAr d vanScteudid nyt hBee havSicoireadnluc reisn g
1969F-o7ar0l .tl h Iia sm g ratteohfu ilm .
Theb eneIfih ta veen jofryoemdt hweo rakn frdi endosfh ip
WillFiraamn kheanbsae evne rdyi fferpeanrtbt,el cya ouusre
vieawrsme o rsei miallatrh oFurgahn kceannans owta lmlyo w
accooufdn its trijbuusttoiirmvc yeev ,i eowft hdee finiotfi on
'moraolrmi ytc yo'n,v iacbtoivuoatnr sio otuhtseo rp iFcrsa.n kena
reaadn cdr itiecairzvleeidre sroi fmo annspy a rotfts h per esent
booakn,dw eh avdei scuestsheoidvc esar w eeklluyn focrh
sewryaela\ rVsh.et rheea rreme i stiankt ehsi s booockc,u rt hey
eitihnep ra rwthsi hcehd indo rte aodri, n p asswahgeerIse
pervedrescelltiyoan cecdhe ipgsto oadd viIca emv. e rgyr ateful
toh imfo rh isse ttmiesn tgr aoingm hatnp yo inatnsdfo rh is
friendship.
Thearrene u merootuhspe err stoown hso tmh bioso iksi n­
debtTehde.ra erm ea nwyh omI c annpoots siblyb ym ention
nampea:r ticularaltty h Uens itvuedorefsnM ititscy h iagnadn ,
membeorfts w os ummseerm insaurpsp obrytt ehd:e \ ational
Endowmfoertn htHe u maniwthipoer se,s smuetr ome adk teh ings
cleaorrte ocr o muep w itbhe trteears. \1o.yn c so llehaagvuee s
listteoen aerdlv ieerrso ifov nasr icohuasp attec rosl loaqnu<li a
havcer ititchiemzmee rdc ilTehsers elsyiu.ssl otm ewchlaeta rer
anmdo rdee fentshiaibnotl t eh erwwoiushlead v bee en.
Seveirnadli vsitdauonaudlat ss,o netsow hommy g ratiitsu de
duei,na ddittoiR oanw alns dF rankMeync ao.l leJaoghune s
BennAerttth,Bu urr kHso,lG loyl dmaanndG, e orMgaev rodes
viiPiR EFACE
..
havhee lpeeidt hbeygr 1 vmmge i nformaatbiooutnth inogfs
whicIwh a si gnoroarbn ytp ,r oddmienb gyt hediert ecotfi on
vaguenienscf>o,n siosrtl eancockfsy o,u nadr gumiennp ti eces
whicthh erye aRdi.c hHaarrdDe e,r cPka rfiatn,Jd ameGsr iffin
werbeo tehn couraanghdie nlgp ifunml a ncyo nversdautriionngs
Trintietryom f1 97w�h,e Inw asi nO xforDdi.a nAac kerman,
inw eekdliys cusosviemoron ssot f o ney earra,i sneudm erous
difficwuilttmhiyd e iss cuosfps lieoanas nuddre es iwrhei,Ich ha ,·e
donmey b esttor esoPlhviel.o soipnSh cearnsd innoaotvn ilay
proviadv eedre yn joymaobnltdehu ritnhgse p rionf1g 9 7b7u,t
thecirri ticismst-heosospfDee a cgPi raalwlLiyat rzBs,e rgstrom,
andL arEsr icsson-meent aoib mlperdmo yvd ei scuosfst ihoen
concoefwp etl faarnetd o c lartihlfeay t htaelorfft hceh apotne r
econojmuiscta ilcteh,oI pu rgohb ahbalvnyeo m te tth ecirri ticisms
fully.
Varipohuisl oshoapvbheee erhnse lptfuoml eb yt hecirri ticisms,
inp rionft' ,r ule-utilpiatratriicDauanlviaiLsrdyml o'yn(: s1 965),
AlaDno nag(a1n9 6B8.J) D,.i g(g1s9 7D0.H) .,H odgs(o1n9 67),
anJdo Feeli nb(1e 9r6gF7 r)e.Fd e ldmaanMndi chBaaeylkl iensd ly
senmtec opioefss y mpospiaupmeo rnts h tiosp aincdF, e ldman
hash elped ifunrc tohrerre spoIns dheonucaleld.sm oe ntion
usefudli scuswsiitDohan vsiB de nfield.
Psycholhoagvbiees etensx traorsduipnpaorroitflmi yyvv een ­
turien tpos ychoIlc oagnynm.oe tn ttihoenam l blu,lt m ustth ank
a fewb yn amei,nv ieowft hecirri tciocmimaeln toanrm iye s
manuscsruigpgte,s mtaidoienn cs o nversaantdei nocnosu,r age­
menitnt heen terpJrohiAnst ek:i nAslobneB,ra tn duDroar,w in
CartwrMiagrhtHtio,nff maHno,w aKredn dlJearm,eP sa psdorf,
JoaSni ebaenrEd,d wiWna lkIeh re.r eweixtchut sheea ml frlo m
anrye sponsfoirmb iisltiatskyte ant emIme anktaesb opusty cho­
logiynt hibso okIh. a vdeo nmey o wnp ickainndcg h oosing,
andt hemraey b et hinIgs sa tyo whniocnohef t hewmo uld
subscribe.
Ia ma lsion debttoCe adr oMlcyKne \eY,h woo rkfoerds neral
weeoknsa n ear-vfienrasl<i ;mofynm anuscSrhiiepm tp.r oivtesd
styslheo,w heodw t or eduictlese ng,t,hi tlhoosousftc ontent,
anidd entoibfsiceudr ities.
JoaWna rmbroufnt nhs,et aafftt hCee ntfoerAr d vanScteudd y
int hBee havioralt uSrncemidye fi nrcsedtsr ,ai fntta o fi ne-
PREFAiCxE
looktiynpge scarndiA pltiG,ca en htatts y preedp eavteerds ions
witihn cresdpiebaelndead c curIat chya.bn okt ohft hem.
TheP resiadnedFn etl loofCw osr pCuhsr iCsotlilg ergaen ted
mea t empofrealrlyo dwusrhiimnpyrg e sidtehnecireneT ,r inity
ter1m9,7 a4n,sd h owmeods cto rdhioaslp itAa felliltoyw.as th ip
thCee ntfoerrA dvanScteuddi ynt hBee haviSocriaelni cne s,
Stanford, upnriomYpirdoefavdca ibllifoctr wi oersk ianngda, n
ideaclolryda inasdlt imulaattmionsgpd huerri1en9,g6 -7 90.M y
statyh ewraeps a rstulpyp obryta fee ldl owfrsohmit phD ee part­
menotfH ealEtdhu,c atainodWn e,l farTeh.eN atioEnnadlo w­
menfotr t hHeu manigtriaensmt eea ds enifeolrl owdsuhriipn g
1971T-h2eU. n iveorfsM iitcyh ihgaassnu ppomrytw eodrn ko t
onlbyya s abbalteiacbvauelbt, y t oleroafmn yca eb seonnc e
leadvuer isnegv eyreaalrT soa. l olft heisned iviadnudia nl­s
stituIth ieorneswg iitvwhea rtmh anks.
RICHARBD.B RANDT
AnnA rhoMri,c higan
Decem1b9e7r7,
CONTENTS
ParIt
l.THES TRATEGOYFP RACTICCARLI TICIS\I
1.I l otwo P rocAepepde:ta oLl i nguIinsttuiict ions' 2
1
2.A ReforDmeifinngi tRiaotni:Ao cntailao nntd hle3 cTshti ng
toD o 10
3.H owt oP rocAepepde:ta oEl t hiIcnatlu itions' 16
II\.\'A'.':TAlN'.\IDGP LEASURE
1.\\' antasnA d, ·er(sViaolnesn ce)
2.T heP leaasnatdnh tUe n pleasant
3.SomIem plications
IllT.H EC OG:\ITITHH:E OROYF A CTIO:\
I\T'H.E C RITICIOSFA\ C1T IOi\S 46
70
\·T.lI EP SYCIIO LOGOYF P LEASUAR:'\ED O F.SIRES 88
1.I nnaatnCedo nditDiiosnpeods tioLt iikaoenn Ddsi slike89
2.D esiarnPedl eaF.sxapnetr icr:ces 95
3.D irect CoonfdD ietsiiorneisng 98
4.O thl3ears \i1cc chanisms; 100
;.D e-Conditioning 103
\lT.I IEC RITICIOSF\ 'iP LEASUREAS\I D l:\TRII\JSIC
DESIRES II O
1.S omTey peosf' :\1isDteaskicrnAe',s· ,e rosriP olnesa,s uIr :,I e s-
2.R atioDneaslia rnedts h Ceo m:copft th Ien trinGsoiocda1l26l y
\I IS.0 \1REA TIO:\t\PLL EASURAE\:SD D ESIRES 1_',0
1.D esifroe\rs\ 'ihs:\a a1t iL,iekleyd IJO
2.P leaasnuEdrt eh iHceadlo nism 132
3.l3cncrnlcncc 138
\'IIIT .I IFEO RCOEF K \:OWIN\VGI IAITS R ATIONAL
1.T heF orocfKe n owiWnhgai tsR atitoonD .o(t Die sTiarkeesn
asT he:y\ re) 149
2.T heF orocfKe n owi\n\g'i hitas Rt a titoonW aaln t
152
J.ShouOlndeA cats i Ofn eD'ess iwreerRsea tional;
154
160
xiiC O!'\TENTS
ParItI
IXT.HEC ONCEPOTFA .MORACLO DE 163
1.T hNea tuorfaeS ocMioarlSa yls tem 16+
0 MorCaold aensId n stitEuxtpieocntaalt ions 176
3.CoualU dn iYc\rfsoCarolad !be eE ffecti,·e? 179
2 .
X.J USTIFIC.A-\NTDTI HOE'.\'C O'.\'CEPOTFT HE\, IOR.'\LLY
RIGHT 183
1.TheJ ustifiocfMa otriCaoolnd es 183
2.T hCeo ncoefCp hto iocf(e T endteoSn ucpyp aoM rotr)Ca old e1 88
3.ThDe efiniotf'i Moonr Railglhyt ' 193
+·A PossKiabnlteMi oadni ficoaftt hiDeoe nfi nition 196
XIR.ATIONALPLRYE FERRMEODR ALC ODEASN DT HE
GE1'ERA\L\ 'AERLEF 200
1.A n0 Yen-ioeft, hC,eh oiPcreo blem 200
2.Typoefs\ 'alencedR eOluettvocaS onumtpe po ofar M to ral
�� �
3.TheI rratioofSn oamDleei stiyr es 208
+·T hCeo ncoefapV ti aMbolreSa yls tem 212
5.RatiCohnoaialcn Uedt ilitarianism 21+
XIIT.HREDEI FFERED:'\ETR I\'ATOIFOT >IHSER IGIIT 22+
1.T heI deOabls eTnh-ecorr y 225
2.TheT heoorfRy .M .H are 229
3.Choice aB\ e'ohefiiI nlgd n ortahnTech ee:oo rfJy o hRna wl2s3 +
XIIWIE.LFARET:H E CONCEPTM,E ASCREMENATl,\ D
I:'\TERPERSCOONMAPLA RISO:'\S 2+6
1.T heO bjecttoDi eosnTi hreeo ries 2+7
2.TheM easuroefHm aepnpti ness 2
53
3.InterpersonaolfE nCjoom)pmaernitsons 2
57
XI\n"I. R EMEO '.\"IST'\I1C0 RACLO DES
1.Egoism
2.AcUtt ilitarianism
3.UtiliGteanreiraanl ization
X\ .T HE CONCEPOTF A PLURALIS\T\I"CE L-F,\RE
\1-\XIMI\Z!IO:\'RGAS LY STvlL ' 286
1.T he\ 'arFieaabtlouefPr leusMr oarlSa yls tems
2.TheC ontoefanW te lfa-!\rleaxim,i\zfSioynrsgat !e m
3.P aradfoortx hePesl uIrdaela lC-tCioldiet arian?
+· FiAn Paulz zle