Ethics and Morality Theory

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Ethics and Morality Theory

• Part 2
• 11 September 2006

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Ethical Dilemma

• Apparent conflict between moral imperatives
• Does everyone come up with the same answer?
• If ethics is based on reason, how can this
  happen?
• Different ethical theories

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Studying Ethics

• Three Approaches
• Descriptive ethics what people believe to be
  right and wrong
• Normative ethics what people should believe is
  right and wrong
• Philosophical ethics (meta-ethics) looks at the
  logic behind the decisions
• Relationship between normative and philosophical
  ethics?
• Examples where descriptive and normative ethics
  differ?

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Theories that we will look at

• Ethical relativism
• Individual (or subjective)
• Cultural
• Normative ethical theories
• Deontological
• Kantianism
• Contractualism
• Teleological
• Utilitarianism
• Are there other broad categories that you can
  think of?

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Ethical Relativism

• Is there anything universally right or wrong?
• How is right or wrong decided?

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Individual Relativism

• For
• Well-meaning, intelligent people can disagree
• Against
• Does not provide moral distinction
• Not based on reason

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Cultural Relativism

• Consider Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars work
• For
• Different social contexts
• Arrogance to judge
• Against
• Evolution of practices
• Societies do share core values

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We will not consider relativism any further
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Normative Ethical Theories

• Deontological based on the sense of duty
• Right because of the act
• Teleological based on the result
• Right because of the result

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Deontological Theory

• What is it?
• Based on our duties and responsibilities
• Actions are fundamentally right or wrong
• Examples
• Contractualism (Hobbes)
• Kantianism (Kant)

1588-1679
1724-1804
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Kantianism Ethics of Duty

• Duty as freely imposing obligation on ones own
  self
• Duty is internal
• We impose duty on ourselves

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Universalizability

• What is fair for one is fair for all
• Living by rules
• Most of us live by rules much of the time
• Imperatives
• Hypothetical conditional commands that are
  applicable in certain conditions (if then)
• Categorical unconditional commands that are
  binding on everyone at all times

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Maxims

• Subjective rules that guide actions
• Relevant act description
• Sufficient generality
• All actions have maxims
• Examples of maxims (not necessarily good)
• Never lie to your friends
• Never act in a way that would make your parents
  ashamed of you
• Its ok to cheat if you need to

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Kants Categorical Imperatives

• Universality Always act in such a way that the
  maxim of your action can be willedas a universal
  law of humanity.
• Respect Always treat humanity, whether in
  yourself or in other people, as an end in itself
  and never as a mere means.
• Are these the same? Which do you prefer?

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Strengths of Kantianism

• Rational
• Produces universal moral guidelines
• Treats all people as moral equals

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Criticisms

• Philosophical
• Moral minimalism requirements are not heartfelt
• Moral alienation alienated from feelings
• Practical
• Actions may need to be characterized by multiple
  rules and there is no way to resolve a conflict
  between rules
• Allows no exceptions

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Contractualism

• Social Contract Theory
• Morality consists in the set of rules, governing
  how people are to treat one another, that
  rational people will agree to accept, for their
  mutual benefit, on the condition that others
  follow those rules as well.
• James Rachel, The Elements of Moral Philosophy

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Rights and Duties

• Duty not to interfere with others rights
• Negative and positive rights
• Negative right duty is to not interfere
• Positive right duty is to provide
• Absolute and limited rights
• Typically, negative rights are absolute and
  positive are limited

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Rawlss Principles of Justice

• Each person may claim basic rights and liberties
  as long as these claims are consistent with
  everyone else having a claim to the same rights
• Social and economic inequalities must
• Be associated with positions in society to which
  everyone has an equal opportunity
• Be of the greatest benefit to the least-advantaged

1921-2002
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Strengths of Contractualism

• Framed in terms of rights
• Explains acting out of self-interest when there
  is no common agreement
• Provides framework for moral issues dealing with
  government (civil disobedience)

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Criticism

• Doesnt address actions that can be characterized
  multiple ways
• Doesnt address conflicting rights

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Comparing the Two Theories

• Both believe that there are universal moral rules
• Basis of those moral rules
• Kant can be universalized
• Contract would benefit the community

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Teleological Theory

• What is it?
• Something is good based on its consequences
• Doing Good is important
• Primary example Utilitarianism
• Jeremy Bentham
• John Stuart Mill

1748-1832
1806-1873
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Utilitarianism

• Greatest Happiness Principle
• Compute the costs and benefits
• Simple calculation do positives outweigh the
  negatives?
• Two forms
• Act judge the consequence of a specific act
• Rule judge the consequence of the generalized
  rule

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Strengths

• Focus on happiness
• Down to earth
• Appeals to many people
• Comprehensive

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Problems of Act that Rule Addresses

• Too much work to make a decision on each act
• Susceptible to happenstance

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Criticisms

• Ignores our sense of duty
• Range of effects that one must consider
• Calculus requires that we balance very different
  aspects
• Unjust distribution of good results

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About the Term Project

• Each class member will present a different point
  of view on a different controversial topic
• 8-12 pages
• 25 grade
• individual
• 15-20 minute presentation
• 20 grade
• Partner
• Various checkpoints along the way
• All presentations will be reviewed with me

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Time to Mingle