sacrificessuch

Sacrificessuch is a neologism used in moral philosophy and rhetoric to describe a pattern of argument that frames a policy or action as requiring or justifying significant sacrifices—often of certain individuals, groups, or resources—in order to achieve a broader, purportedly beneficial outcome. The term combines sacrifice with such to emphasize the way the sacrifices are invoked as representative or exemplary of the needed price for the greater good.

Definition and scope

The concept denotes a class of argumentative strategies in which costs are presented as necessary, unavoidable, or morally permissible because they serve a larger aim. Sacrificessuch arguments may appear as claims that some groups must bear burdens for society, for the environment, or for future benefits, while the benefits are described as superior to the costs. The term can be used as a noun or as part of descriptive phrases such as “the sacrificessuch rationale.”

Usage and evaluation

In scholarly debates, sacrificessuch is employed to critique proposals that rely on appealing to a greater good without adequately addressing how burdens are distributed or protected. Proponents may argue that sacrifices are temporary, equitable, or compensated, while critics warn that such rhetoric can obscure coercion, exclusion, or normative asymmetries. The concept is often discussed alongside concerns about rights, justice, and transparency in policy justification.

Criticism and relation to other ideas

Critics contend that sacrificessuch rhetoric risks normalizing harm or shifting moral responsibility onto vulnerable populations. It is commonly contrasted with egalitarian arguments, rights-based frameworks, and proportionality analyses in moral and political philosophy.

See also

- Sacrifice

- Utilitarianism

- Moral calculus

- Burden shifting