Promise-Making and Supererogation

David Heyd*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Studies of the practice of promising have concentrated on the reasons for keeping promises. This focuses on promise-making and argues that the making of promises is typically supererogatory. It then addresses the question whether we can promise to perform supererogatory acts. Although once given, the promisor is under an obligation to perform the promised act, there is no paradox in describing the act as supererogatory. The proposed analysis is based on the distinction between the content of the promised act and the deontic status of its performance. In contrast to Jason Kawall and Claire Benn, I propose that there is no difficulty in the idea of promising to supererogate.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHandbook of Supererogation
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages221-236
Number of pages16
ISBN (Electronic)9789819936335
ISBN (Print)9789819936328
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

Keywords

  • Benn
  • Individuation of actions
  • Kawall
  • Promises
  • Supererogation

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