Morality (and Law) by Degrees: Scalar Consequentialism in Ethical and Legal Theory

Francesco Ferraro (Università degli Studi di Milano)

Abstract

I will first describe a particular form of ethical consequentialism known as Scalar Consequentialism (henceforth: SC), which constitutes an alternative to other, more traditional and better-known forms of consequentialism. Subsequently, I will describe the main objections that have been levelled against it and try to defend the model of ethical theory that SC provides us with, i.e. its reshaping of the questions to which ethical theory has to answer. Lastly, I will hold that this different picture of ethical theory could inspire a rethinking of legal theory, too.

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