How Actions Can Be Morally Evaluated

1
How Actions Can Be Morally Evaluated
Teleological Ethics
Motive/Intention (Character)
ACT
Consequences
Deontological Ethics

• Teleological Ethics morality is the means to
  achieve what is identified as good or valuable
• Deontological Ethics the good or valuable is
  doing our duty (the morally right, obligatory)
• Divine Command Natural Law Kant Buddhism

2
Divine Command Theory

• The good is whatever God commands (as identified
  in the Scriptures) because it is Gods command
• Objections
• What God wills can be arbitrary
• Scriptures conflict and need interpretation
• The theory does not appeal to non-believers
  lacks rational persuasiveness (circular)

3
Natural Law Theory
Thomas Aquinas
Epictetus

• Natural Law we should follow reason and our
  God-instilled inclinations (Stoics, Aquinas)
• Objections inclinations sometimes conflict
• Reply principle of double effect our intention
  should always be to do the good
• Counter-replies natural is not always good
  people differ on what is natural even
  double effects are intended

4
Kants Ethics (Formalism)

• The essential feature of morality is obligation
  you are obligated only if everyone else is too
  the form of moral obligation is its universality
• Moral obligation does not vary from person to
  person. It is not a hypothetical imperative (if
  you want Y, you ought to do X) rather, the
  imperative is categorical (you must do X)
• Your intention must be to do your duty, to act
  for the sake of doing your duty

5
Kant Objections to Consequentialism, Divine
Command Natural Law Theories

• If we are naturally oriented to seek happiness,
  we are not free and thus cannot be morally
  obligated to seek happiness ought implies can
• Because opinions differ about what happiness is,
  we could never agree on moral principles
• Consequences are often out of our control, so we
  cannot be held responsible for our actions
• We can hold ourselves responsible only if the
  moral law is self-imposed (autonomous)

6
Kant The Categorical Imperative

• Always act only on maxims (rules) that you could
  will everyone universally to adopt
• Two tests for universalizability
• Consistency a maxim must be universalizable
  without contradiction
• Acceptability a universalized maxim must be
  acceptable
• Objection moral rules often conflict

7
Kants Categorical Imperative (continued)

• Because human beings can act rationally, they can
  act for the sake of doing their duty that is,
  they can act on the basis of a good will
• Rational beings are capable of self-obligating
  behavior we should therefore treat others as
  ends-in-themselves, freely consenting agents
• Objection humans are not simply rational

8
Buddhist Ethics

• The craving for individuality (including
  life, pleasure, power) produces sufferingwhich
  is ended through virtue and meditation
• Being virtuous requires us to respect ourselves
  and others, and to be patient, moderate, and to
  maintain a clear and balanced mind
• Personal enlightenment consists not in merely
  following rules but in seeing ones place in the
  universe