Liberal Utilitarianism-Yes, But for Whom? #MMPMID33032664
Rasanen J
Camb Q Healthc Ethics 2021[Apr]; 30 (2): 368-375 PMID33032664show ga
In his important paper "Just Better Utilitarianism," Matti Hayry reminds his readers that liberal utilitarianism can offer a basis for moral and political choices in bioethics and thus could be helpful in decisionmaking.(1) Although I agree with the general defense of Hayry's liberal utilitarianism, in this commentary, I urge Hayry to say more on who belongs to our moral community. I challenge Hayry's principle of actual or prospective existence. I also argue that Hayry should say more on human beings at the "margin of life" (such as fetuses and other mindless humans). I claim that debate over whether some form of utilitarianism is superior over other moral theories is not as important as answering the question underlying these issues: Who belongs to our moral community?