In the Interests of Others: An Essay in Moral Philosophy

Introduction. I: Beneficence and Moral Requirements. 1. Varieties of Moral Appraisal. 2. Philosophical Dimensions of Other-Interest. 3. Is Beneficence Morally Required? 4. Perfect Obligations, Imperfect Obligations, and Individual Moral Discretion. 5. Imperfect Obligations and Disjunctive Acts. 6. Imperfect Obligations: Some Alternative Views. 7. Summary. II: Beneficence and Supererogation. 1. The Concept of Supererogation. 2. Supererogation and Praiseworthiness. 3. Beneficence, Supererogation, and the Limits of Morality. 4. Summary. III: Anti-Maleficence. 1. From Easy Rescue to Limitless Requirements. 2. Moral Presumptions and Their Defeaters. 3. The Nature of Moral Rights: A Traditional View. 4. Morally Significant Liberties. 5. Summary. IV: Welfare Rights. 1. The Concept of a Welfare Right. 2. The Existence of Welfare Rights: A Sampling of Views. 3. Welfare Rights and Individual Sovereignty. 4. Some Possible Misconceptions. 5. Further Reflections on the Morality of Anti-Maleficence. 6. Summary. V: Virtue, Personal Worth, and the Interests of Others. 1. Personal Worth and Moral Theory. 2. The Aretaic and Deontic Theses. 3. Appraising Persons and Appraising Traits. 4. Other-Interested Virtues. 5. Summary and Concluding Remarks. Bibliography. Index.