Title

Bad Habits: The Morality of Smartphone Use in Leisure Time.

Abstract

This paper argues that the habit of frequently using a smartphone is highly unde- sirable from a moral perspective. It is highly morally undesirable because by having the habit, the probability significantly increases that one will perform various morally impermissible actions. For example, by having the habit, the probability that one will regularly text while driving rises significantly. The practice of regularly texting while driving is pro tanto morally impermissible. Hence having the habit of frequently using a smartphone significantly increases the probability that one will do something morally impermissible. The fact that having the habit significantly increases the probability that one will do something morally impermissible adds weight to the proposition that the habit is morally undesirable. I add further weight to the proposition that the habit is morally undesirable by arguing that the habit of frequently using a smartphone significantly increases the probability that one will engage in smartphone use while in any critical situation, not just while driving; that one will regularly engage in disruptive smartphone use in inter- personal contexts (thereby courting the risk of harming certain interests others have in being known and loved); and that one will regularly engage in smartphone use in such a way that one’s own autonomy and perhaps also authenticity are degraded. In virtue of the habit being very morally undesirable, I argue that we are morally required to take reasonable steps in order to avoid it. I argue that included in these steps is generally refraining from smartphone usage while at leisure. For by using a smartphone at leisure, we court the risk of developing a habit that is very morally undesirable. Thus, my argument suggests that using a smartphone while at leisure is often all-things-considered morally impermissible.

About Sam

Sam is a PhD student at the University of Georgia.

Time change!

Since Sam is in the US, this talk is scheduled for 14:00 CET, rather than the usual 10:00 CET.