Event: Understanding Some Cases of Altruism as Morally Permissible Mistakes
Elizabeth Harman
Associate Professor of Philosophy, The University Center for Human Values, Princeton University
Friday, November 4, 2011
"Some altruistic actions are deeply supererogatory: they are not morally required and indeed nothing like them is ever morally required. Someone who performs a deeply supererogatory action does a wonderful thing and is praiseworthy. Could it also be that she makes a mistake? I will develop the view that some deeply supererogatory actions are mistakes: all things considered, one should not perform them. Using the example of gamete donation, I will explain the view and defend its coherence. I will then argue that many deeply supererogatory views may fall into this category."
