"In this brief animation, Sarah Stroud, the director of the Parr Center for Ethics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, lays out a complex scenario in which a dying woman asks for, and receives, promises from her wife, including that she never remarry. From this starting point, Stroud explores how philosophers including John Locke, David Hume and John Rawls have viewed the role of promises in the social contract, and in so doing makes a compelling case that axioms such as 'don't make promises you don't intend to keep' perhaps shouldn't always apply."
"How much power should a promise hold, and when - if ever - should a promise be broken?"
A dying partner requests binding promises from her spouse, including a pledge never to remarry, and the surviving spouse complies. Philosophical traditions treat promises as foundational to social cooperation, balancing individual intentions, trust, and institutional expectations. John Locke emphasizes consent-based obligations; David Hume highlights the role of utility and social practice in shaping duties; John Rawls situates obligations within principles of justice and fairness. Absolute maxims like "do not make promises you do not intend to keep" face counterexamples when consequences, changing circumstances, or competing moral duties justify revising or breaking promises. Moral evaluation of promises requires weighing intentions, outcomes, and broader social effects.
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