Act Consequentialism and the No-Difference Challenge

In Douglas W. Portmore (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Consequentialism. Oxford University Press (2020)
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Abstract

In this chapter we explain what the no-difference challenge is, focusing in particular on act consequentialism. We talk about how different theories of causation affect the no-difference challenge; how the challenge shows up in real-world cases including voting, global labour injustice, global poverty, and climate change; and we work through a number of the solutions to the challenge that have been offered, arguing that many fail to actually meet it. We defend and extend one solution that does, and present a further solution of our own.

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Author Profiles

William Tuckwell
Charles Sturt University
Holly Lawford-Smith
University of Melbourne

Citations of this work

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References found in this work

Causation.David Lewis - 1973 - Journal of Philosophy 70 (17):556-567.
Do I Make a Difference?Shelly Kagan - 2011 - Philosophy and Public Affairs 39 (2):105-141.
How you can help, without making a difference.Julia Nefsky - 2017 - Philosophical Studies 174 (11):2743-2767.

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