Abstract
The paper begins by situating Singer within the British meta-ethical tradition. It sets out the main steps in his argument for utilitarianism as the ‘default setting’ of ethical thought. It argues that Singer’s argument depends on a hierarchy of reasons, such that the ethical viewpoint is understood to be an adaptation – an extension – of a fundamental self-interest. It concludes that the argument fails because it is impossible to get from this starting-point in self-interest to his conception of the ethical point of view. The fundamental problem is its mixing the immiscible: the Humean subordination of reason to interest with the Kantian conception of reason as universal and authoritative.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R.M. Hare (1982) ‘Ethical Theory and Utilitarianism’ A. Sen B. Williams (Eds) Utilitarianism and Beyond Cambridge University Press Cambridge 23–38
R.M Hare (1981) Moral Thinking: Its Levels, Method and Point Clarendon Press Oxford
D Hume (1998) An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals Oxford University Press Oxford
D Hume (2000) A Treatise of Human Nature Oxford University Press Oxford
Jamieson, D., ed. Singer and His Critics. Blackwell, 1999.
Kant, I. (1996) The Metaphysics of Morals, in Practical PhilosophyEdited and translated by M.J. Gregor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
Plato, RepublicTranslated by D. Lee. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1987.
K.R Popper (1972) The Logic of Scientific Discovery Hutchinson London
P Singer (1981) The Expanding Circle: Ethics and Sociobiology Oxford University Press Oxford
P Singer (1993) How Are We To Live? Ethics In An Age of Self-Interest Text Publishing Melbourne
P Singer (1993) Practical Ethics EditionNumber2 Cambridge University Press Cambridge
P Singer (2000) Writings on an Ethical Life Fourth Estate London
G.J Warnock (1967) Contemporary Moral Philosophy Macmillan London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buckle, S. Peter Singer’S Argument for Utilitarianism . Theor Med Bioeth 26, 175–194 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-005-3976-x
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-005-3976-x