•  25
  •  24
    Morality and modality
    Philosophical Papers 20 (3): 139-153. 1991.
    No abstract
  •  24
    Metaphysics and Morality
    Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 41 (3): 355-359. 1998.
    This Article does not have an abstract
  •  23
    Duelling with doctors, restoring honour and avoiding shame? A cross-sectional study of sick-listed patients' experiences of negative healthcare encounters with special reference to feeling wronged and shame
    with Niels Lynøe, Maja Wessel, Daniel Olsson, Kristina Alexanderson, and Niklas Juth
    Journal of Medical Ethics 39 (10): 654-657. 2013.
    Aims The aim of this study was to examine if it is plausible to interpret the appearance of shame in a Swedish healthcare setting as a reaction to having one's honour wronged. Methods Using a questionnaire, we studied answers from a sample of long-term sick-listed patients who had experienced negative encounters (n=1628) and of these 64% also felt wronged. We used feeling wronged to examine emotional reactions such as feeling ashamed and made the assumption that feeling shame could be associated…Read more
  •  19
    The article provides answers to comments in this journal on my recent book, Setting Health-Care Priorities. What Ethical Theories Tell Us. Did I address all of the relevant theories? Yes, I did. Was my argument underdeveloped in any respects? Yes, at least in one as I should perhaps have discussed contractual ethical thinking more carefully. I do so in this response. Moreover, the critical comments raised have helped me to clarify my argument in many ways, for which I thank my critics.
  •  19
    15 The genetic design of a new Amazon
    with Claudia Tamburrini
    In Claudio Marcello Tamburrini & Torbjörn Tännsjö (eds.), Genetic Technology and Sport: Ethical Questions, Routledge. pp. 181. 2005.
  •  18
    A concrete view of intrinsic value
    In Toni Rønnow-Rasmussen & Michael J. Zimmerman (eds.), Recent Work on Intrinsic Value, Springer. pp. 207--211. 1999.
  •  17
    Commentary
    Journal of Medical Ethics 31 (2): 113-113. 2005.
    To resort to hypoxic air machines—would that be to cheat? This clearly depends on whether such machines are prohibited or not. So the important question is this: Should sport authorities prohibit them or not?One way of approaching this question may be to argue casuistically. Erythropoietin is prohibited. Blood doping is prohibited. Training at high altitude is allowed. Does the hypoxic air machine bear more resemblance to training at high altitude than to the use of EPO? If that is the case it s…Read more
  •  16
    Moral Realism
    Philosophical Quarterly 42 (169): 514. 1992.
    '...the book is very dense with ideas...arguments concerning innumerable interesting points are always worth pondering.'-THE PHILOSOPHICAL REVIEW
  •  15
    Hedonistic Utilitarianism
    Edinburgh University Press. 1998.
    This volume presents a comprehensive statement in defense of the doctrine known as classical, hedonistic utilitarianism. It is presented as a viable alternative in the search for a moral theory and the claim is defended that we need such a theory. The book offers a distinctive approach and some quite controversial conclusions. Torbjorn Tannsjo challenges the assumption that hedonistic utilitarianism is at variance with common sense morality particularly as viewed through the perspective of the m…Read more
  •  15
    The secular model of the multi‐cultural state
    Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 38 (1-2): 109-117. 1995.
    On what model should a modern multi?cultural democracy work? Spinosa et al. have argued that the political order should be sustained by a set of common values instilled in the citizens, without, however, any common rank order among these values. I argue that the multi?cultural state should rather conform to what I call the Secular Model, according to which the citizens need not share any basic values at all. On the Secular Model, people individually stick to the existing constitution (only) as l…Read more
  •  14
    In Defence of Theory in Ethics
    Canadian Journal of Philosophy 25 (4): 571-593. 1995.
    Particularism is in vogue in ethics today. Particularism is sometimes described as the idea that what is a sufficient moral reason in one situation need not be a sufficient moral reason in another situation. Indeed, it has been held, on particularism, what is a reason for an action in one situation might be a reason against the same type of action, or might not be a reason at all, in another situation. However, this description is insufficient. Even a generalist, such as a utilitarian, may admit…Read more
  •  12
    Ought We to Sentence People to Psychiatric Treatment?
    Bioethics 11 (3-4): 298-308. 1997.
    In principle, there seem to be three main ways in which society can react when people commit crimes under influence of mental illness. (1) The standard model. We excuse them. If they are dangerous they are detained in the interest of safety of the rest of the citizens. (2) The Swedish model. We hold them responsible for their criminal offence, we convict them, but we do not sentence them to jail. Instead, we sentence them to psychiatric treatment. (3) My model. We sentence them to jail, but offe…Read more
  •  12
    Assume that neuro-doping is safe and efficient. This means that the use of it, and similar future safe methods of enhancement in sport, may help those who are naturally weak to catch up with those who are naturally strong and sometimes even defeat them. The rationale behind anti-doping measures seem to presuppose that this is unfair. But the idea that those who are naturally strong should defeat those who are naturally weak rests on a fascistoid ideology that sport had better leave behind. Neuro…Read more
  •  12
    Understanding Ethics (3rd ed.)
    Edinburgh University Press. 2013.
    How can we find true or reasonable moral principles to live our everyday lives by? Torbjorn Tannsjo presents 7 radically different moral theories - utilitarianism, egoism, deontological ethics, the ethics of rights, virtue ethics, feminist ethics, environmental or ecological ethics - each of which attempts to provide the ultimate answer to the question of what we ought to do and why. He carefully describes each theory, showing how it works in practice using the &quote;trolley problem&quote; thou…Read more
  •  11
  •  10
    Two concepts of death reconciled
    Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 2 (1): 41-46. 1999.
  •  10
    Assume that neuro-doping is safe and efficient. This means that the use of it, and similar future safe methods of enhancement in sport, may help those who are naturally weak to catch up with those who are naturally strong and sometimes even defeat them. The rationale behind anti-doping measures seem to presuppose that this is unfair. But the idea that those who are naturally strong should defeat those who are naturally weak rests on a fascistoid ideology that sport had better leave behind. Neuro…Read more
  •  10
    Who Are the Beneficiaries?
    Bioethics 6 (4): 288-296. 2007.
  •  8
    Much has been written about recidivist punishments, particularly within the area of criminology. However there is a notorious lack of penal philosophical reflection on this issue. This book attempts to fill that gap by presenting the philosopher’s view on this matter as a way of furthering the debate on recidivist punishments
  •  7
    The Moral Significance of Moral Realism
    Southern Journal of Philosophy 26 (2): 247-261. 1988.
  •  7
    This is a short reply to Professor Reichlin’s comment on my book Setting Health-Care Priorities. What Ethical Theories Tell Us. The version of prioritarianism I rely on in the book is defended as the most plausible one. The general claim that there is convergence between all plausible theories on distributive justice is also defended with regard to assisted reproduction, disability, and enhancement.
  •  6
    Moral doubts about strict materialism
    Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 30 (4): 451-458. 1987.
    It is argued that there are moral costs of our accepting ‘strict materialism’, the view that there is no such phenomenon as an irreducible first‐person point of view. If we accept strict materialism, then we have to give up some considered moral views, such as the principle of an agent‐relative morality and the hedonistic principle. The necessity involved is not logical, however, but pragmatic. Strict materialism does not imply that these moral views are false; it is our belief in them that is u…Read more
  •  5
    Moral Realism
    Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 1989.
    '...the book is very dense with ideas...arguments concerning innumerable interesting points are always worth pondering.'-THE PHILOSOPHICAL REVIEW.
  •  5
    Moral Conflict and Moral Realism
    Journal of Philosophy 82 (3): 113-117. 1985.
  •  4
    This book is about how best to respond to existential global threats posed by war and global heating. The stakes have become existential. A strong claim in the book is that we need a world state to save humanity. The book sheds new light on why this is so. The present author has long advocated global democracy. A strong argument against global democracy has been, however, that no state has ever been established without the resort to violence. In this book, the author bites the bullet and advocat…Read more
  •  3
    Human genetics and the Nazi Spectre
    Monash Bioethics Review 18 (1): 13-21. 1999.
  •  3
    Setting Health-Care Priorities: A Reply to Piotr Lichacz
    Roczniki Filozoficzne 70 (2): 259-264. 2022.
    I discuss the comments from Professor Piotr Lichacz on my book, Setting Health-Care Priorities. What Ethical Theories Tell Us. The idea that our reluctance to let go of life and abstain from marginal life extension is irrational is defended against his criticism. The methodology used in the book—urging us to rely in our testing on ethical theories on the content of our considered moral intuitions—is explained at length and the notion of cognitive psychotherapy involved in it is defended.