Solomon--the ultimate moral expert?
When faced with difficult moral decisions, many people would prefer to shift the burden of moral responsibility to a moral expert. I imagine what appears to be the perfect moral expert: a computer program called SOLOMON designed to fit in a computer on one's wrist. After noting some advantages of using SOLOMON, I claim that moral agents would find individualizing the program as difficult as making moral decisions in the past. A revised version of the ultimate moral expert is also considered: one hires the wisest, kindest person on earth--Solomé--to accompany one as a moral guide. However, turning over our moral problems to an expert, even to the noble Solomé, still falls short. For the process of coming to moral decisions is itself import. One's values and personality may change as a result of moral deliberation.
Warren
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Chapman College, Orange, CA 92666.
D004991:Ethics, Institutional; D005103:Expert Systems; D009014:Morals