A Place for Subjectivity in Moral Judgments and Moral Actions

Abstract

In this paper, I try to determine a place for subjectivity regarding moral problems, specifically in making moral judgments and acting on them. This does not mean that I deny the necessity of some relevant objective grounds regarding moral matters. Rather, it means that, for purposes of teaching moral education (central among them that people will be enabled to learn how to govern themselves and how to exercise moral autonomy), it will not be sufficient to concentrate only on the objective aspects of moral matters. Furthermore, I contend that, if we take into account the cluster of subjective factors pertinent to the moral agent (or learner), some understanding of the common problem of gaps between one's moral judgments and moral actions can be generated. In this connection, I discuss Mordecai Nisan's concept of moral balance.