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UPEI Department of Philosophy 2017-18 Speaker Series

Posting Date(s)

“Evil Isn’t Necessarily Wrong” will be presented by Dr. Todd Calder, Saint Mary’s University, on March 16 at 3:30 pm in SDU Main Building, room 211.

Most people (including most philosophers) assume that wrongdoing is an essential component of the concept of evil. This paper argues that this view is mistaken. A case is presented that appears to be evil and yet not wrongful on act-consequentialist, contractualist, and contractarian theories of wrongdoing. Proponents of these theories should accept that evil actions need not be wrongful. Furthermore, even if all evil actions are wrongful on the correct theory of wrongdoing, it does not follow that wrongdoing is an essential component of the concept of evil. Wrongdoing is an essential component of the concept of evil only if wrongdoing is, at least partly, what makes evil actions evil. A plausible theory of evil is offered that does not make wrongdoing (even partly) what makes evil actions evil. To explain how evil actions can be morally worse than merely wrongful actions without being more morally wrong, a distinction is made between the deontic right/wrong and the aretaic admirable/despicable moral spectrums. Evil actions are morally worse than merely wrongful actions by being more morally despicable, but not necessarily more morally wrong. 

All are welcome!