Deontological Pacifism Decrees that Moral Agents have an Absolute Duty

Reading Passage Question

Deontological Pacifism decrees that moral agents have an absolute duty to avoid aggression or waging war against others. Held as a duty, it is incumbent on the pacifist never to aggress, use force, or support or engage in war against another. Duties are moral actions that are required or demanded in all pertinent circumstances.

The first problem for deontological pacifism is the potential collision of duties. What if force is to be used to halt an aggressor who endangers the pacifist’s life, or the life of an innocent? Regarding the pacifist’s own life, it can be argued that he or she possesses no right of self-defense (and must “turn the other cheek”), although this is typically the position of those who place not much value on living this life in favour of living in the realms beyond. Among such adherents are absolute pacifists. Another example: does the duty to respect others outweigh the duty to respect oneself? The aggressor obviously transcends any duty of respect he should have towards his victim but does that warrant the forfeiture of his life? Those pacifists who admit the right to defend the self against a threat can admit the use of restraining or disabling force and even, if the threat is deadly, the right to kill an assailant. Deontological pacifists can claim that others’ rights to life are of a higher order duty than the duty to intervene to save oneself. But that hinges upon a moral evaluation of the self compared to others, and it is not clear why others should be accorded a higher moral evaluation; for after all the self is in turn one amongst many others from a different subject’s point of view.

If the pacifist argues that his life is his own to lay down in the face of aggression (as a moral principle, as a moral example, as an example of martyrdom, etc), the problem intensifies when the life of another is threatened, whom the pacifist is in a position to assist, and who, as a living subject, may prefer life over death.

The pacifist who claims that he has no duty to intervene in saving others’ affairs treads a precarious moral path here; the immediate retort is why should the moral life of the pacifist be morally more important than the life of threatened innocent? For the sake of his own beliefs, could the pacifist consistently ignore the violence meted upon others? Yes, from two possible prespectives. The first is that the ideal of pacifism retains a supremacy over all other ideals and is not to be compromised. The second is that the life of the pacifist is morally superior to the life of the threatened innocent, even if that innocent happens to be a fellow absolute pacifist.

Deontologists argue that certain kinds of moral actions are good in themselves, hence deontological pacifists claim peace to be a duty to be categorically upheld.

“Deontological Pacifism decrees that moral agents have an absolute duty”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 3 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analysing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and Explanation

1. Which of the following, according to the passage, would the deontological pacifist consider idealistic?

(A) Resorting to self defence in the face of mortal danger.
(B) Using a tool to save an innocent’s life.
(C) Devaluing one’s life in favour of an ethical conduct.
(D) Doing one’s duty as a soldier in times of war.
(E) Eliminating the assailant, by using violence, if he is harmful to society

2. Which of the following does the statement “…self is in turn one amongst many others from a different subject’s point of view” support?

(A) It is logical for the pacifist to jeopardize the safety of self.
(B) It is logical to consider the aggressor to be of a higher moral order.
(C) Force may be used to halt an aggressor who endangers the pacifist’s life.
(D) The pacifist can go to the assistance of a fellow pacifist.
(E) It is rational for a pacifist to think that protecting the life of others is his moral responsibility.

3. Which of the following is the author unlikely to agree with?

(A) it is not incumbent on the pacificist to perform duties in all pertinent circumstances.
(B) The notion that there is a potential collision of duties is non-existant.
(C) Self also should be given the same moral evaluation as any other.
(D) The ideal of pacifism should not gain supremacy over all other ideals.
(E) The ideal of pacifism is not worth adhering to especially in modern times when terrorism and extremis on have become the order of the day.

4. What according to the passage is NOT implied by ‘collision of duties’?

(A) Duty to protect others from an assailant or the virtue of pacifism
(B) Being a passive recipient of aggression versus the duty to protect oneself
(C) Duty to forfeit one’s life or the duty to respect another’s life
(D) Duty to accord a higher moral value to the lives of others rather than to oneself
(E) Duty to protect the life of the aggressor as against one’s own life

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