Naïve Instrumentalism vs Principled Proceduralism

Not your standard consequentialism-deontology distinction

Naïve Instrumentalists are practically unconstrained in pursuit of their moral or political goals. If it seems to them, just based on the immediately legible evidence, that violence or deception would advance their goals, they won’t hesitate to act accordingly. Principled Proceduralists, by contrast, allow their instrumental pursuits to be practically constrained by rules, principles, or procedures that promote co-operation and limit downside risk (incl. of escalating conflict) in a way that can be appreciated somewhat independently of their particular beliefs or commitments. Now, if all…

saved by

• Henry Zimmerman
• Alejandro Bernhard

related reading

• Deontology and virtue ethics as "effective theories" of consequentialist ethics — LessWronglesswrong.com
• Value Beyond Instrumentalization — Letters to a Young Technologistletterstoayoungtechnologist.com
• Rule Consequentialism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)plato.stanford.edu
• Instrumental and value rationality - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
• Annoyingly Principled People, and what befalls them — LessWronglesswrong.com
• Consequentialism FAQweb.archive.org
• Impartiality (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy/Summer 2022 Edition)plato.stanford.edu
• Integrity for consequentialists — EA Forumforum.effectivealtruism.org
• Virtue Ethics for Consequentialists — LessWronglesswrong.com
• Point-by-point critique of Ord’s “Why I’m Not a Negative Utilitarian”centerforreducingsuffering.org
• Terminal Values and Instrumental Values — LessWronglesswrong.com
• Contractualism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)plato.stanford.edu