Moral Point of View

The moral point of view is the impartial, universalizable perspective that each person is capable of assuming. Here the term person is used in a technical sense to denote rational, self-governing being. When we take the moral point of view, we seek to adjudicate disputes rationally, we assume that other persons are neither more nor less important than ourselves, and we assume that our own claims will be considered alongside those of others in an impartial manner. These three components of the moral point of view are respectively concerned with rationality, universalizability, and impartiality.

The moral point of view is rational in the sense that it involves the application of reason rather than feeling or mere inclination. Moral issues frequently invoke a strong emotional response in ...