Week 2 Reading
Assignment
“What Is Wrong With Slavery” R.M. Hare
Hare is conducting an ethical debate
on the institution of slavery. He is
writing to justify the use of Utilitarian ethics in resolving the issue. . Think about and try to answer the following
questions in preparation of our class discussion of this reading.
Hare professes to be a Utilitarian
Ethicist. Utilitarian ethics relies on
rational evaluation in determining what act will create the greatest good for
the greatest number of people. We will
learn more about Utilitarian Ethics during the course.
Under what moral premise does Hare
indicate most people argue against the institution of slavery?
What moral premise does Hare present
as a counter argument to those who argue against slavery?
How does Hare define slavery? How does it differ from other forms of
indenture? What are some examples of
indenture that Hare would argue are not slavery? Why?
What dilemma does Hare present in his
story of the two islands of Juba and Camacia?
Does this pose a problem with opposing slavery when using the above
explanation of Utilitarian ethics?
Can you find any contradiction in
Hare’s arguments on page 177 that would be contradictory to acting in a
Utilitarian manner?
What ethical school of thought does
Hare attack by referring to them as “simple souls” incapable of higher level
rational thinking required in Utilitarian ethics.
