Wrong by convention

TY - JOUR

T1 - Wrong by convention

AU - Owens, David

PY - 2017/4

Y1 - 2017/4

N2 - Some acts (mala in se) are wrong prior to any social prohibition (e.g., murder). Other acts (mala prohibita) are wrong only once socially prohibited (e.g., traffic violations). This article considers certain obligations of care that parents owe to their children and children to their parents. Violations of these familial obligations are like paradigm mala prohibita in that they are wrongs created by social convention. But, it is argued, they are unlike paradigm mala prohibita in that their prohibition is not justified merely by the desirable consequences of prohibiting them but also by the value of the prohibition itself.

AB - Some acts (mala in se) are wrong prior to any social prohibition (e.g., murder). Other acts (mala prohibita) are wrong only once socially prohibited (e.g., traffic violations). This article considers certain obligations of care that parents owe to their children and children to their parents. Violations of these familial obligations are like paradigm mala prohibita in that they are wrongs created by social convention. But, it is argued, they are unlike paradigm mala prohibita in that their prohibition is not justified merely by the desirable consequences of prohibiting them but also by the value of the prohibition itself.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85015717610&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/690012

DO - 10.1086/690012

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85015717610

SN - 0014-1704

VL - 127

SP - 553

EP - 575

JO - ETHICS

JF - ETHICS

IS - 3

ER -