We've seen that constraints are those moral obligations that regulate actions and that are generally incumbent upon all people at all times. However, we've already posited that there are occasions when the consequences of certain actions or inaction are so grave that constraints might be temporarily overruled or suspended. Just how constraints and consequences support or vie against each other will demand close examination.

1. At the successful completion of this week, the student will be able to:
2. Analyze complex short-term long-term consequences of a given ethical decision (including the
   consequences of your decision becoming widely known) (C, D)
3. Evaluate how considerations of consequences ought to influence moral deliberations (C, D)
4. Evaluate the cases in which putting more significance on consequential considerations would be
   appropriate and those in which it would be inappropriate (C)
   Evaluate the appropriate relationship between constraints and consequences in a military context
   (E)

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Crash Course Philosophy - Utilitarianism

Think through these questions before you come to class

1. How would you describe the relationship between constraints and consequences?
   1. How do we let consequences help shape our moral actions without falling into a pattern of the ends justifying the means?
   2. What is the problem with ends justifying the means anyway? Why don't we just rely on consequences?
2. Are there some occasions when, even if the consequences will be disastrous, that we nevertheless refuse to engage in certain actions? What kind of occasions would those be?
3. From our readings--and probably from our own life experience--we've seen that there seem to be occasions when two or more constraints conflict--when no matter what course of action we choose, some constraint or another will be violated. Is that really possible?
   1. Are some constraints more important than others? How would we know?
   2. How can an appeal to consequence help guide our decision-making?  
4. What sort of things do you need to know before you can make as accurate an assessment of consequence as you can? Presumably, it will be impossible, in the heat of the moment, to have an accurate grasp of all the data you need to make a truly informed decision. But what are the essential things you need to try to know?