What is it to do nothing?

Abstract

We should reject any moral theory that rests on the metaphysical assumption that actions—or even their characterisations—can be neatly divided into positive acts of doing and so-called ‘negative’ acts of omitting, refraining, neglecting, and so on. This essay is an attempt to cut loose from the tenacious grip of such a picture and journey towards the elusive Bhagavadian view that all action contains inaction, and vice versa. Should it succeed, the repercussions for the doctrine of doing and allowing and related puzzles concerning moral responsibility are radical.