Conflicting duties › Seven familiar headings, not an algorithm

The inventory is commonly presented under seven headings: fidelity, reparation, gratitude, justice, beneficence, self-improvement, and non-maleficence. Ross does not offer a proof that this is an exhaustive list of every possible moral consideration. His discussion proceeds through reflection on the different grounds of claims.

Keeping the grounds separate helps avoid several mistakes. Repaying a loan may fulfill an undertaking as well as benefit the lender; its obligation should not simply be classified as gratitude. Giving something pleasant is not necessarily just. Taking a frightening risk is not necessarily beneficial.

Nor does the inventory establish a fixed ranking. Ross's judgment that avoiding harm is generally more stringent than conferring benefit does not produce a complete order for every combination of claims. The significance of a promise depends in part on what was promised and on the situation in which performance is required.

A useful deliberation therefore needs two stages of attention. First identify which features supply claims. Then examine how those claims bear on the actual choice. This division organizes inquiry, but it does not permit the second stage to be replaced by counting how many duty labels appear on each side.