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?