Summary
Highlights
According to Thomas Nagel, moral luck occurs when a person is subject to praise or blame for an action, even when that action significantly depended on factors outside their control. It acknowledges that outcomes of intentions are unpredictable.
Nagel identifies four distinct types of moral luck: resultant luck, constitutive luck, circumstantial luck, and causal luck, each highlighting different aspects of how external factors influence moral judgment.
Resultant luck refers to luck in how things turn out. Our judgment of decision-makers varies based on the outcome, even if the decision-making process was similar. An example given is two drivers with brake failure, but only one hits a child.
Constitutive luck is about luck in who one is, including traits and dispositions shaped by genes, caregivers, and environment. Since these factors are beyond our control, our actions, which are partly a function of who we are, are also influenced by luck.
Circumstantial luck involves the circumstances one finds oneself in. A morally virtuous person might not be recognized if they never face situations that reveal their virtue, and similarly, immoral tendencies might not be exposed if alternatives to immoral choices are always present.
Causal luck pertains to how one is determined by antecedent circumstances, touching upon the classic problem of free will. It suggests that our actions and even our will can be consequences of factors outside our control, questioning moral responsibility regardless of determinism's truth.
Ultimately, our actions are situated within a complex context including our constitution, circumstances, past events, and future consequences. To the extent we lack control over these contextual aspects yet are still subject to moral judgment, we are experiencing moral luck.