Doing Ethics
Problem with divine command theory
-given rise to fanaticism -only works with some believers -people are divided on whether it gives an accurate account of the source of morality
3 approaches to ethics
-maximizing general welfare -respecting individuals freedom to make choices -cultivating virtue
Value
A standard for judging goodness or badness of an action (typically shared by community)
Principle of impartiality
All people treated as equals, everyone's needs are equal. When making moral decision make it unbiased
Dogmatism
Because I say so
Universal Perspective
Belief held by many, of reasons apply in one specific case they must apply in all related cases. Ex.) lying is wrong
Morality
Beliefs concerning right and wrong, good and bad; they can include judgments, rules, principles, and theories. They help guide our actions, define our values, and give us reasons for being the people we are
Norms
Common ways of doing things upon which everyone agree, common rules that allow you to predict what another person is likely to do in typical situation
preeminence of reason
Critical reason, deep thinking, looking at details and facts, thinking for yourself, logical arguments to solve moral issues
What is the scientific study of moral beliefs and practices
Descriptive ethics
Subjective relativism implies
Everyone is morally infallible
All objectivists are absolutionists
False
Legal norms dominate moral norms.
False
There is a necessary connection between tolerance and cultural relativism.
False
What does value do
Give purpose to our lives
Divine command theory
God is maker of moral law, God defines right and wrong
Utilitarianism
Greatest good for the greatest number, cost benefit analysis
Duty driven/ absolute rules
Kant-respect for others
Logical argument helps to
Keep feelings at bay and show whether a moral judgement is justified or not through facts
What must you do to be free
Make your own decisions, don't accept something just bc someone told you to
What is ethics concerned with
Moral values
Moral Objectivism
Morality is universal. Some moral principals are valid for everyone. We know with certainty that some actions are morally wrong.
Some argue that a core set of moral values must be universal otherwise cultures would
Never survive
Is doing the right thing enough
No you must think about why it is right
The three philosophically based divisions in eithics
Normative, meta, and applied
Values
People's character traits, motives, and intentions
The three primary elements of ethics
Preeminence of reason, universal perspective, principle of impartiality
Flawed reasoning in cultural relativism
Premise 2, that people's judgements about right and wrong differ from culture to culture so there are no moral principles. One culture believing genocide is ok doesn't mean it's morally correct. And it's nearly impossible to use bc we all belong to several societies
Obligations
Refer to actions or duties we should do
Who is a major figure of ethics
Socrates
Why is it difficult to apply religion to specific cases sometimes
Some religious codes and conducts are vague
What do ethical values always imply
Standards of worth, we measure goodness of our lives by them
Relativist theories of ethics (3)
Subjective, cultural, and moral objectivism
What did Socrates believe about society
That it caused ethical conflicts, and that it can hold us to certain duties that may conflict
Applied Ethics
The application of moral norms to specific moral issues or cases, particularly those in a profession such as medicine or law, what is right and wrong in real life situations
Logical argument
The backbone of critical reasoning. consists of a statement to be supported and the statements that do the supporting. Use it to justify or refute a moral judgement
Ethics
The philosophical study of morality.
Descriptive Ethics
The scientific study of moral beliefs and practices. Describes how people actually behave and think with moral issues and concepts. "Describes what people think is right"
Metaethics
The study of the meaning and logical structure of moral beliefs. Questions meaning of moral ethics
Normative Ethics
The study of the principles, rules, or theories that guide our actions and judgments. Assumes certain things about meaning of moral terms, and judge moral theories
Subjective relativism
The view that an action is morally right if one approves of it. Ethical disagreements are impossible bc what you believe cannot be right it is only an opinion. You cannot be wrong , individuals make right and wrong based on feeling
Cultural relativism
The view that an action is morally right if one's culture approves of it. No culture could be wrong, and everyone in culture or those visiting must conform to it and be tolerant of others. Can't judge other cultures. Social reformers can never be morally right, moral progress is impossible, disagreements between people in culture amount to whether they agree or not with their culture
Cultural relativism implies
There is no moral objectivism
How do people identify you as an individual
Through the values for which you stand
extrinsically valuable
Valuable as a means to something else. Ex.) gas to power car Pen so you can write a letter
Intrinsically valuable
Valuable in itself, for its own sake. Ex.) happiness, pleasure, virtue, and beauty
critical reasoning
Very important in ethics, must look deep into details and examine all facts so you can make your own beliefs and opinions and be able to support them
ethical dilemma
When you have to make a moral choice, you must defend with rational argument
Do religious commandments conflict
Yes, also within the same religion people disagree
If you have different non moral beliefs you will have
ethical disagreements