Abstract

I argue that the way in which a moral theory imposes its demands on agents can be more or less fair. In particular, I claim that some well-established theories distribute their demands among agents in an unfair manner. Such theories should be revised in accordance with what I call "the principle of equal demands"--a principle which expresses what fairness requires in the distribution of moral demands. ;While most of my discussion focuses on the principle of beneficence, I also discuss the unequal demands imposed by traditional conceptions of property rights; I show that alternative conceptions of property rights distribute demands more fairly. ;Some forms of the principle of beneficence--which has a place in all plausible moral theories--impose unequal and thus unfair demands in a number of contexts. One source of unfairness is the extra demands made on agents with unusual abilities: even under full compliance with the principle of beneficence the optimal level of sacrifice for these agents can be higher than for others. Practically more important is the complicated question of how the principle of beneficence distributes demands when it requires a redistribution of income and wealth. But most important of all for my purposes is the unfair way in which the principle of beneficence imposes demands in situations of partial compliance: it requires complying agents to make ever greater sacrifices as less others comply. As a result the demands of the principle on complying agents, can, in situations where most others do not comply, be very stringent. Attention to the way the principle of beneficence imposes demands under partial compliance can therefore help us with the pressing question of how to limit the demands that it imposes on individual agents; I argue that my approach to this question is preferable to that of Samuel Scheffler, who advocates the adoption of an "agent-centred prerogative." ;Formulating a version of the principle of beneficence which complies with the principle of equal demands, and thus does not give rise to unfair demands in any of these ways, is one of my most important tasks