ABSTRACT
But this is a mistake, for we are often confronted with a choice between the objective and participant perspective locally with respect to specific actions or attitudes. The examples in Sections 2 and 3 of addiction and pedophilia are cases in point. In viewing some of Doug’s behaviour objectively, Pam is not ceasing to view Doug as an agent. Rather, there are just certain specific circumstances in which she finds it necessary to retreat to the objective perspective as “a refuge . . . from the strains of involvement” (Strawson 1962/2003, 79-80). And, as I tried to argue in section 2, this is often the morally appropriate course of action.
