Critical Thinking/Reading; What is Ethics?

Practicability

-it's got to make sense and work

Critical thinking

-Analyzing and evaluating your thinking with the purpose of improving it. -Uses standards -Integrates values & beliefs

Universal

-Apply to all who are in a similar situation -Evaluative judgements: golden rule

Implications/Consequences

-Claims/truths that follow from other truths

Applied Ethics

-Examines controversial moral topics

Information

-Facts, evidence, experiences, data -accurate? -Relevant?

Morality

-Latin moris (conduct or way of life) -Describes specefic, culturally transmitted standards of right and wrong/through the construct of good and bad -prescribes action -broad acceptance

Ethics

-a branch of the field of philosophy; search for wisdom and truth -Greek ethos - custom or usage -A theory or system of moral values -systematic study of general principles of right and wrong behavior

Concepts

-all reasoning uses ideas, theories, principles or rules -Ex: city leaders usually follow the rules of utilitarianism in making decisions about the city's resources -theoretical frameworks in research, business models.

Purpose

-all reasoning/thinking is for some purpose -can you clearly state the purpose of your thinking?

Fairness

-argument is balanced & free from bias, pushes us to be evenhanded

Logical

-argument is reasonable, thinking is consistent, & conclusions follow from the evidence

Depth

-argument is thorough, complexities of issue are explored at length

Cognitive Maturity

-aware that problems are complex -open to other points of view -aware of biases & predispositions -use frameworks

Descriptive Morality

-beliefs, customs, principles and practices -how we (as a cultural group) define morality and act in moral ways

Breadth

-demands that additional viewpoints are taken into account

Precision

-demands the words & data used are exact

Relevance

-everything included is important, each part makes a difference

Clarity

-forces the thinking to be explained well so that it is easy to understand

Point of View

-good reasoning seeks multiple, relevant points of view -Use two balls to illustrate

Publicity

-make moral principles known -how we pass our moral history

Accuracy

-makes sure all information is correct & free of error

The Standards

-measuring sticks -the criteria we are using to measure how well something has been reasoned/thought out. -Clarity, Accuracy, Precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logical, significance, fairness.

Over-ridingness

-moral principles override other kinds of principles

Significance

-most important ideas are included, no crucial facts are omitted

Assumptions

-most reasoning starts somewhere; we don't have all of the data we need so we make assumptions -we assume A&M is a safe place, aggies are nice.

Inferences/Conclusions

-our interpretation of the evidence -conclusions that flow from the evidence -project a range of potential consequences for alternatives

Prescriptive

-practical or action-guiding, nature of morality -"do not kill"

Paul & Elder's Elements of Thought/Reason (8)

-purpose -questions -information -inferences/conclusions -concepts -assumptions -implications/consequences -Points of View

Critical Reading

-reading with a purpose -pleasure; find a simple idea; deeper understanding -more to learning than remembering content

Moral Philosophy

-understanding concepts and theories systematically -Analyzes what is "right", "wrong", or "permissible"

Question at issue

-what are we trying to solve? -Is the question clearly defined? -is it the right question?

3 Divisions of Ethics

1. Descriptive Morality 2. Moral Philosophy (Ethical Theory) 3. Applied Ethics

Traits of Moral Principles

1. Prescriptive 2. Universal 3. Over-ridingness 4. Publicity 5. Practicability

Inferences/Conclusions

Inference - -what date do we have? -What can we conclude? -Possible consequences?