ABSTRACT
Emotions occupy a fundamental place in our moral lives. However, especially in recent ethicists’ preoccupation with action, this truth has all too often been obscured. The author considers some deficiencies in how emotions may be seen as significant by certain forms of utilitarianism, and also in an influential recent defence of ethical altruism. A variety of moral assessments linked with emotions are often made in common usage. As well as lacking insight and understanding, an unemotional or emotionally deficient person may also suffer from a certain kind of weakness of will, for failing to do what one believes good (and indeed, sometimes doing what one believes bad) is a natural consequence of lacking emotions such as care, concern, interest, sympathy, compassion, and courage. It is often claimed that utilitarianism is concerned exclusively with the morality of actions, thereby neglecting motives.
