The AskPhilosophers logo.

Ethics

Is it inconsistent to assert that we should withhold judgment on people who act immorally (because we don't know the specifics of their situation) and also that we should praise people who act righteously (even though we don't know much about their situation either).
Accepted:
April 29, 2010

Comments

Miriam Solomon
April 29, 2010 (changed April 29, 2010) Permalink

This behavior strikes me as lacking even-handedness, but not as inconsistent. One may have a view that it is better to risk praising falsly than to refrain from praising at all, and better to refrain from criticising than to risk criticising falsly. It's a pragmatic attitude that makes sense for those who want to deal with others by positively reinforcing their actions (sometimes inappropriately) but never punishing them.

  • Log in to post comments
Source URL: https://askphilosophers.org/question/3177
© 2005-2025 AskPhilosophers.org