The Banality of Evil: Rethinking Harm and Morality

This blog post critiques Kurt Gray's book, Outraged!, arguing that Gray's attempt to explain political and moral disagreements solely through differing perceptions of harm is flawed. The author contends that Gray overlooks the role of unfounded beliefs and metaphysical constructs like "evil" in shaping these disagreements. They argue that focusing on intent rather than the consequences of actions based on false premises is intellectually lazy and morally problematic. Instead, the author advocates for precise descriptions of harmful actions and abandons the unhelpful concept of "evil" as an explanatory tool. Ultimately, the piece suggests that genuine progress requires abandoning unexamined beliefs presented as moral clarity.