Gratitude and Benefit

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來自 The University of Edinburgh 的課程

Introduction to Philosophy

2936 個評分

The University of Edinburgh

Introduction to Philosophy

2936 個評分

這門課程中將向你介紹一些當代哲學的主要研究領域，在每一個領域中將針對一位哲學家，討論他的專業領域中最重要的一些問題及議題。課程將以試圖了解甚麼是哲學開始─其特殊目的和方法，以及哲學和其他學科的差異。接著，我們將會花剩下的課程時間來獲得對哲學不同領域的初步概觀。你將學習的主題包括：知識論─

從本節課中

Do We Have an Obligation to Obey the Law?

(Dr. Guy Fletcher) The laws of a state govern what we can and cannot do within that state. But do we have an obligation to obey those laws? In this module, we'll discuss this question, together with some of the main positions that philosophers have developed in response to it. We'll start off by examining what obeying the law means exactly. Then we'll look at three factors that might form the basis of an obligation to follow the law. Finally, we'll discuss what the consequences might be if the problem can't be solved.

Do You Have an Obligation to Obey the Law?4:32

The Grounds of Political Obligation2:53

Gratitude and Benefit4:11

與講師見面

Dr. Dave Ward
Lecturer in Philosophy
University of Edinburgh
Professor Duncan Pritchard
Professor of Philosophy
University of Edinburgh
Professor Michela Massimi
Full Professor
Philosophy
Dr. Suilin Lavelle
Lecturer in Philosophy
University of Edinburgh
Dr. Matthew Chrisman
Reader in Philosophy
Philosophy
Dr. Allan Hazlett
Dr. Alasdair Richmond
Dr.
Philosophy
Guy Fletcher
Lecturer
Philosophy
Elinor Mason
Senior Lecturer
Philosophy

Let's think about the possible grounds of political obligation.

Remember first, that if the problem of political obligation is to be solved,

we need to find the grounds for the obligation to obey the law.

One suggested ground for political obligation is gratitude or benefit.

This is one of the many solutions to the problem mentioned by Socrates in Crito,

one of the Platonic dialogues.

According to the gratitude or benefit accounts of political obligation,

we are obliged to obey the state because of the great

benefits that the state has bestowed upon us.

By being benefited by the state,

citizens acquire the obligation to obey the law out of gratitude.

Let's call this the benefit theory of political obligation,

namely the claim that citizens are obliged to obey the state

because of the benefits that the state has bestowed upon them.

We can break this down into two separate claims: First,

the citizens are benefited by the state, and second, that because they

are benefited by the state, they acquire the obligation to obey it.

The first claim certainly seems plausible.

So, citizens typically are benefited by the states

in the form of the kinds of public goods that states provide.

They provide roads, defense, fire, police, and

in most modern democratic states, healthcare.

But when it comes to the second claim, things were a little less clear.

It's not so clear that the fact that the state benefits us

means that we're obliged to obey it.

Partly, that's because it's unclear how to answer the following questions.

Question one, does being benefited always generate obligations?

Question two, does being benefited by something

generate obligations from you to obey the benefactor?

Let us address these questions in turn.

So first, does being benefited always generate obligations?

Is benefitting someone sufficient enough to generate an obligation?

Here's a reason to think not.

Suppose that unbeknownst to you, I wash your car and

I do a great job of it, but you didn't ask me to do so.

In fact, suppose we've never met.

I've saved you some money or some time, and so,

I benefited you by washing your car.

Does this give you an obligation?

It's not obvious that you now have an obligation.

After all, you didn't ask me to do this, you don't know of my existance,

and i just cleaned your car without your permission.

Perhaps, you have some obligation.

Perhaps, an obligation to say, thank you.

Although even that much isn't clear.

But, bestowing any benefit on someone isn't enough give

the other personal an obligation to obey you.

Maybe the other person has an obligation to express gratitude, but

it doesn't give them an obligation to obey you.

So, this brings us to the second question.

What the obligation that stems from being benefited by somebody

gives you an obligation to do?

Does being benefited by something generate obligations for

you to obey the benefactor?

Seemingly not.

Here's another example.

Suppose we have lunch and I pay for it.

It seems pretty clear that you have an obligation to say, thank you.

But do you have an obligation to obey me?

Certainly not.

You don't have an obligation to obey me just because I've benefited you.

So how's this relevant to the benefit theory of political obligation?

Remember that the second part of the benefit theory was the claim that because

citizens have benefited by the state, they acquire an obligation to obey the state.

The objection is that we can see that this claim is false because,

as in the case where I buy you lunch, or I wash your car,

benefitting someone doesn't generate an obligation to obey the benefactor.

It seems that at most it generates obligations to fill or

express gratitude, not obligations to obey.

So, if we have an obligation to obey the law,

we must have some ground other than just being benefited by the state.

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