Schopenhauer's Titus Argument

Abstract

if one puts in the mouth of the remorseful person many of the philosophical accounts of what makes an obligation a moral obligation or a principle a moral principle, of the nature of morality and of its authority, we get parody. ‘My God what I have done? I have violated the social compact, agreed behind a veil of ignorance.’ ‘My God what have I done? I have ruined my best chances of flourishing.’ ‘My God what have I done? I have violated rational nature in another.’ ‘My God what have I done? I have diminished the stock of happiness.’ ‘My God what have I done? I have violated my freely chosen principles.’