There’s a general recipe that underlies the organ-harvesting case and similar standard “counterexamples” to utilitarianism: (1) Imagine an action that violates important (utility-promoting) laws or norms, and—in real-world circumstances—would be disastrous in expectation. (2) Add some fine print stipulating that, contrary to all expectation, the act is somehow guaranteed to turn out for the best. Read More

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