Slide 1
A promise can create a new obligation
A promise can create an obligation that did not exist beforehand. Philosophers ask how words and intentions can give someone this new responsibility.
More to Read
Agreeing to collect a friend's parcel is more than predicting that collection will happen. The friend can now organize their plans around a commitment, and has a distinctive basis for complaint if it is ignored.
Slide 2
Predicting an action is different from committing to it
Saying I will probably come describes an expectation. Promising to come undertakes a responsibility, even when both statements concern the same future event.
More to Read
If a prediction fails, it may simply have been inaccurate. Breaking a promise ordinarily calls for a different explanation because the speaker did more than estimate what was likely to occur.
Slide 3
Theories disagree about what gives promises their force
Theories connect promising with social practices, reliance, assurance or the power to create obligations. They disagree about what does the fundamental explanatory work.
More to Read
A reliance account emphasizes plans made on the promise. A practice-based account emphasizes shared rules. Testing unusual cases, such as a promise no one relies on, can expose differences between these explanations.
Slide 4
Coercion, deception and competing duties can change the obligation
A promise is not automatically decisive against every competing reason. Coercion, deception or a wrongful promised act can alter its moral standing.
More to Read
If collecting the parcel unexpectedly conflicts with responding to an immediate emergency, the original commitment still matters but may not settle the decision. Excusing nonperformance is different from pretending no commitment was ever made.
Slide 5
Repair recognizes the person who relied on the promise
Explaining, apologizing and making amends can recognize a promisee's position after failure. Merely announcing a new preference overlooks that relationship.
More to Read
The parcel may have contained something needed for a scheduled event. Asking about the actual disruption makes repair responsive to reliance and loss, rather than treating an apology as a formula that automatically closes the matter.
Sources
- Promises
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy