Intra/Inter Paradox

Authors

  • Jan Willem Wieland Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23941/ejpe.v17i1.786

Abstract

This paper addresses the following paradox. (P1) It is permitted to defect in intrapersonal dilemmas as long as there is a solution to achieve one’s long-term goal. (P2) It is not permitted to defect in interpersonal dilemmas, even when there is a similar solution to achieve a collective goal. (P3) There is no relevant difference between intrapersonal and interpersonal dilemmas. At least one of the three propositions must go. In this paper, I show how (P1) is supported by Chrisoula Andreou’s work, and offer a defense of (P2). This has surprising implications. The aim will not be to solve the paradox, but rather to show there is one that we should attend to in the first place.

Author Biography

Jan Willem Wieland, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

Jan Willem Wieland is an Associate Professor of Ethics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, specializing in collective action and the ethics of inefficacy.

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Published

2024-06-29

How to Cite

Wieland, J. W. (2024). Intra/Inter Paradox. Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics, 17(1), 126–148. https://doi.org/10.23941/ejpe.v17i1.786