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DEATH AND SUFFERING FROM TERRORISM (CHARLIE HEBDO CASE)
Abstract
The author studies the motives and consequences of the terrorist attack against the French satirical weekly В‘Charlie HebdoВ’ from the viewpoint of the theory of moral/right action in ethics of social consequences, following George Edward MooreВ’s theory of right action. According to the author, it could be claimed that the action of Islamic radicals was immoral, while the actions of the Charlie Hebdo editorship were wrong. This assessment also corresponds with the motives of the reasoning, decision making, behaviour and actions of the editorship as well as the terrorists, which were, in the former case (editorship) wrong, and in the latter case (terrorists) immoral. It is also in keeping with assessing the congruence between probable and actual consequences in both cases, i.e. a prevalence of negative over positive consequences. However, in the case of the editorship, actual negative consequences exceeded the probable ones by far, which can be attributed to the moral cognition, reasoning and decision making of the editorship which was faulty in that it lacked sufficient research into and consideration of the threat following their action. From the viewpoint of the theory of moral/right action, both cases in question concern blameworthy action, although, based on the differences in action assessment and consequences, as well as varied motives, it could be claimed that the action of the magazineВ’s editorship is less blameworthy than that of the terrorists. In the context of MooreВ’s above quoted claim on such action that should be avoided, or, prevented from happening anywhere in the world, it could be said that both the action of the editorship and that of the terrorists are such actions that should, from the viewpoint of criteria within the theory of moral/right action in ethics of social consequences, be avoided based on results stated above as all as the fact that the editorshipВ’s action was of little use and that of terrorists was useless, or, harmful.
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