Saints, Heroes and Moral Necessity

Alfred Archer

doi:10.1017/S1358246115000223

Saints, Heroes and Moral Necessity

Alfred Archer

Tilburg Center for Logic, Ethics and Philosophy of Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Many people who perform paradigmatic examples of acts of supererogation claim that they could not have done otherwise. In this paper I will argue that these self-reports from moral exemplars present a challenge to the traditional view of supererogation as involving agential sacrifice. I will argue that the claims made by moral exemplars are plausibly understood as what Bernard Williams calls a ‘practical necessity’. I will then argue that this makes it implausible to view these acts as involving agential sacrifice.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	105-124
Number of pages	19
Journal	Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplementary Volume
Volume	77
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1358246115000223
Publication status	Published - 2015

Keywords

Supererogation
Sacrifice
Moral Saint
Moral hero
Moral Philosophy

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10.1017/S1358246115000223

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Archer, A. (2015). Saints, Heroes and Moral Necessity. Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplementary Volume, 77, 105-124. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1358246115000223

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