Summarize Argument
Most students conclude that the first magazine, but not the second, was morally delinquent for publishing the advertisement. No evidence is provided for this judgement.
Notable Assumptions
Most students assume that a magazine is morally delinquent if it has reviewed and published an offensive advertisement, but not morally delinquent if it simply publishes every submitted advertisement. Most students therefore believe that a policy of publishing every advertisement isn’t in itself morally delinquent.
A
It is wrong to publish messages that could cause direct or indirect harm to innocent people.
Most students only judge the first magazine to have done something wrong. This tells us both did something wrong.
B
Anyone regularly transmitting messages to the public has a moral responsibility to monitor the content of those messages.
This applies to both magazines. Yet most students think only the first magazine did something wrong.
C
If two similar agents commit two similar actions, those agents should be held to the same standard of accountability.
Both magazines committed the same action, so they should be judged the same. However, most students think only the first magazine did something wrong.
D
Failure to uphold a moral standard is not necessarily a moral failing except for those who have specifically committed themselves to upholding that standard.
Since the first magazine tried and failed to uphold a moral standard, that magazine committed a moral failing. The other magazine didn’t bother with moral standards, hence why most students don’t think that magazine did anything wrong.
E
A magazine should not be considered at fault for publishing a classified advertisement if that advertisement would not be offensive to any of the magazine’s subscribers.
The advertisement was offensive.