Consequentialism has to no answer to the questions why we should act morally.

Tags
Moral Philosophy
EA
Consequentialism
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Date created
Sep 20, 2022 05:58 PM
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This seems painfully obvious: but despite great efforts, it isn’t clear why we should act morally if we are consequentialists. If consequentialism is an answer to what is moral (judging by the consequences of ones actions) it gives no answer to why you should be motivated to act moral. The jump from reducing suffering and maximizing pleasure is not as natural as it seems.
We are pressured by society to be a moral person, so this point is often overlooked, but plays an important role in determining how much good you should do.
In the end,
The source of ought in consequentialism comes from inside
, not from the inside, so if you feel overwhelmed by what you should do, remind yourself that the will to do something comes from inside.