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Passage: Bernard Williams famously critiqued moral theories like utilitarianism and deontology for their 'impersonality.' He argued that these frameworks demand that we adopt an 'impartial' perspective that can alienate us from our own 'ground projects'—the personal commitments and relationships that give our lives meaning. If a moral system requires me to treat my own child or my life's work as no more important than a stranger's needs, it threatens my 'integrity' as an individual. For Williams, an ethical life must be compatible with the 'internal reasons' we have—reasons that are rooted in our own specific desires and attachments. A morality that demands we act solely on 'external' or abstract reasons is one that forgets what it is like to be a human agent. Question: Williams critiques impartial moral systems because they:

  1. Are grounded in Williams's own internal reasons, not abstract logic.
  2. Permit individuals to disregard the moral needs and interests of strangers entirely.
  3. Can alienate individuals from the personal commitments that provide meaning.
  4. Elevate an individual's personal 'ground projects' above the collective needs of society.

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