Is There a Duty to Read the News?

Abstract

It seems as though we have a duty to read the news – that we’re doing something wrong when we refuse to pay attention to what’s going on in the world. But why? I argue that some plausible justifications for a duty to read the news fail to fully explain this duty: it cannot be justified only by reference to its consequences, or as a duty of democratic citizenship, or as a self-regarding duty. It can, however, be justified on the grounds that we have a positive, imperfect duty of respect for strangers, even when our actions don’t affect them directly. Reading the news is a key way, sometimes the only way, that we can respect those who are strangers to us. I close by considering some of the implications and limitations of this duty.

Publisher

Brill

Publication Date

7-1-2023

Publication Title

Journal of Moral Philosophy

Department

Philosophy

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.1163/17455243-20223972

Keywords

Imperfect duties, Moral obligations, News, Respect

Language

English

Format

text

Link to Full Text

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