W. D. ROSS PRIMA FACIE DUTIES

					BACKGROUND IDEAS


1.  BOTH KANTIAN AND UTILITARIAN ETHICS TRY TO BASE MORALITY
    ON A SINGLE PRINCIPLE.

2.  "COMMON SENSE" ETHICS CANNOT BE REDUCED TO AN UNITARY
    PRINCIPLE.

3.  ABSOLUTE DUTIES ARE UNCONDITIONAL; ALLOW NO EXCEPTIONS.
    BUT NO DUTY IS ABSOLUTE.

4.  RATHER, DUTIES ARE PRIMA FACIE ("ON THE FACE OF IT,"
    "FIRST LOOK") AND ARISE OUT OF CIRCUMSTANCES
    AND RELATIONSHIPS - PROMISEE TO PROMISOR,PARENT TO CHILD.

5.  IF THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF DUTY, THEN OUR PRIMA FACIE
    DUTIES ARE OUR ACTUAL DUTIES.

6.  IF THERE IS A CONFLICT OF DUTIES, ONLY ONE CAN BE OUR
    ACTUAL DUTY (THE MORE STRINGENT ONE).

7.  ALL ANYONE CAN DO IS MAKE A CONSIDERED, REFLECTIVE
    DECISION ABOUT WHICH DUTY HAS PRIORITY IN ANY GIVEN
    SITUATION.

                 
	          CATEGORIES OF DUTIES AND EXAMPLES


A.  DUTIES OF FIDELITY:  DUTIES TO KEEP PROMISES,
    HONOR CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS, TRUTH TELLING,
    PROFESSIONAL DUTIES. DUTIES OF FIDELITY REST ON
    A PERSON'S PREVIOUS ACTS.

B.  DUTIES OF REPARATION:  THESE ALSO REST ON ONE'S
    PREVIOUS ACTS.  DUTIES TO RECTIFY WRONG, MAKE AMENDS.

C.  DUTIES OF GRATITUDE:  THESE REST ON PREVIOUS ACTS OF
    OTHERS.

D.  DUTIES OF BENEFICENCE:  THE FORWARD LOOKING DUTIES
    ARISING FROM THE PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY.

E.  DUTIES OF NONMALEFICENCE:  THE FORWARD LOOKING DUTY
    TO REFRAIN FROM HARMING OTHERS, DUTY NOT TO KILL,
    NOT TO STEAL.

F.  DUTIES OF JUSTICE:  BENEFITS SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED
    ACCORDING TO MERIT; EXISTING PATTERNS OF UNJUST
    DISTRIBUTIONS SHOULD BE RECTIFIED.

G.  DUTIES OF SELF IMPROVEMENT:  THERE ARE DUTIES TO
    ONESELF AS WELL AS TO OTHERS. DUTY TO "BE GOOD
    TO YOURSELF," DUTY TO USE YOUR TALENTS AND NOT
    BE A SLACKER.