Public Reason: Vol. 6, No. 1-2, 2014
Analysing the Wrongness of Killing
Ezio Di Nucci

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the wrongness of killing by comparing different versions of three influential views: the traditional view that killing is always wrong; the liberal view that killing is wrong if and only if the victim does not want to be killed; and Don Marquis’ future of value account of the wrongness of killing. In particular, I illustrate the advantages that a basic version of the liberal view and a basic version of the future of value account have over competing alternatives. Still, ultimately none of the views analysed here are satisfactory; but the different reasons why those competing views fail provide important insights into the ethics of killing. 

Key words: killing, wrongness of killing, future of value, ethics of killing, ethics.

Citation

Di Nucci, Ezio. 2014. Analysing the Wrongness of Killing. Public Reason 6 (1-2): 77-82.