FILE SELECTED // FILE 00
Moral Luck
“Two people take the same risk; only one causes harm because of something beyond either person's control.”
01 / SUMMARY
In short
Moral luck arises when factors outside an agent's control affect the moral assessment they receive. It strains the thought that we should judge people only for what they control.
03 / SCENE
In the wild
Two equally reckless drivers cross a street; only one encounters a pedestrian and causes a death.
04 / LIMIT
The limit
The problem does not make intention or outcome irrelevant; it asks how much weight each should carry.
FINAL NOTE
What remains
When judging an outcome, separate the choice from the luck that magnified its effects.