Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T10:22:02.734Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Creating a cultural niche for the a-social?; or, Speculation about how Cultural factors might defeat Altruism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 July 2009

Get access

Abstract

Mark Lovas asks to what extent are we all morally blind — and morally wanton?

There are other sound reasons to destroy the Social Security system. It is based upon principles that are deeply offensive to the moral values of the political leadership … Social Security is based on the idea that it is a community responsibility to ensure that the disabled widow on the other side of town has food to eat, or that the child across the street should be able to go to a decent school. Such evil ideas have to be driven from the mind. … According to right thinking, it isn't my fault if the widow married the wrong person or if the child's parents made bad investment decisions, so why should I contribute a few cents to a public fund to take care of them?

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Philosophy 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)