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Preferred term

ought implies can  

Definition

  • The principle “ought implies can” asserts, roughly, that an agent ought to do something only if it is possible for that agent to do it. In other words, it's being possible for an agent to perform a certain action is a necessary condition on that agent's having an obligation to perform that action. [Source: Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society; Ought Implies Can]

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URI

https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/ought_implies_can

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