Moral Worth in Gettier Cases

Abstract

This paper presents a counterexample to the view that moral knowledge is necessary for moral worth. Justified true beliefs that an action is right confer the same degree of moral worth, whether or not they constitute knowledge. This is demonstrated with an example called "Texting the Rabbi" in which two people receive answers to moral questions – one from a wise rabbi, the other from a thief who stole the rabbi's phone and gives the same answer as the rabbi by chance. While this makes the questioners differ in moral knowledge, it creates no difference in moral worth.