Philosophy
Contractualism and the Justification of Moral Principles
Quick fact
Contractualism, as defended by T.M. Scanlon, holds that an act is wrong if it would be disallowed by principles that no one could reasonably reject. This shifts moral justification from abstract rules or outcomes to whether a principle is justifiable to each affected person.
Why this is interesting
You've likely heard that ethics should be based on rules or consequences. But what if the key is simply what everyone could agree to—without anyone having a good reason to object?