A reply: The future of international morality

Abstract

Reply to Stephen Ball’s review of my Morality among Nations. Humans have evolved two kinds of morality–‘standard’ morality, based on the Golden Rule, and ‘group’ morality, which calls for sacrifices for one’s group and the suppression of the Golden Rule with strangers. The justification of states’ self-help in the international arena looks suspiciously like group morality in philosophical disguise. Group morality may soon suffer a great knock once it is shown up for what it is (as hypocrisy requires a comfortable atmosphere where doubletalk is hardly noticed). Philosophers should help produce a code of professional ethics for diplomats.