philosophy ethical
Moral Theory Moral Values
The Liar Dilemma
Zjamel’s boyfriend, Bernard, spends more time with Ethel than with her. “Are you having an affair?” she asks him, more by way of a reminder that she exists, than out of any real concern. But Bernard was having an affair with Ethel. But he doesn’t look on it as a “serious” affair. Ethel is married, and he is basically quite committed to Zjamel, who has been through a rough patch lately. He doesn’t want to upset her, even though he doesn’t like lying either. So he says “Of course not, darling.” Zjamel’s heart picks up, and she feels much better. In a few months, Bernard and Ethel stopped the affair and no one ever thinks about it again.
Did Bernard do the right thing?
Introduction to Moral Theory (a.k.a. Ethics)
What makes an action right or wrong? What makes a person good or bad?
Three Major Theories:
Consequentialism: Right act = Right Outcome/Consequences
Deontology: Right act = what fulfils a duty or obligation
Virtue Ethics: Right act = what a virtuous person does, e.g. courageous, just, moderate, honest, etc.
Introduction to Moral Theory (a.k.a. Ethics)
What makes an action right or wrong? What makes a person good or bad?
What makes values valuable? Who’s to say one thing is more valuable than another?
Introduction to Moral Theory (a.k.a. Ethics)
What makes an action right or wrong? What makes a person good or bad?
What makes values valuable?
Objective: Things are good/bad independent of any given perspective or person.
Introduction to Moral Theory (a.k.a. Ethics)
What makes an action right or wrong? What makes a person good or bad?
What makes values valuable?
Objective: Things are good/bad independent of any given perspective or person.
Relative: Good/bad is ultimately dependent on whether a group or culture endorses/forbids it.
Introduction to Moral Theory (a.k.a. Ethics)
What makes an action right or wrong? What makes a person good or bad?
What makes values valuable?
Objective: Things are good/bad independent of any given perspective or person.
Relative: Good/bad is ultimately dependent on whether a group or culture endorses/forbids it.
Subjective: Good/bad depends entirely on an individual’s belief.
Introduction to Moral Theory (a.k.a. Ethics)
What makes an action right or wrong? What makes a person good or bad?
What makes values valuable?
Objective: Things are good/bad independent of any given perspective or person.
Relative: Good/bad is ultimately dependent on whether a group or culture endorses/forbids it.
Subjective: Good/bad depends entirely on an individual’s belief.
Nihilism: Good/bad are fictions, ultimately just expressions of feeling.
Three Theories
Consequentialism: An action is morally right just in case it maximizes the amount of goodness in the world.
Deontology: An action is morally right just in case it is done with the right motive, namely the motive to follow moral law or duty.
Virtue Ethics: The right action is one that a virtuous person would perform. A virtuous person is one whose character or disposition is such that she always chooses what’s virtuous and avoids vice.
The Lifeboat Dilemma
The battleship Northern Spirit was torpedoed in the engine room, and began to sink rapidly. “Abandon ship!” shouts Captain Flintheart. But few of the lifeboats are intact. One boat, desperately overloaded, manages to struggle away from the sinking vessel, Flintheart at the prow. The cold, grey waters of the Atlantic around it are filled with screaming, desperate voices, begging to be saved.
Should any more sailors be picked up and rescued?
Consequentialism
Mill’s Utilitarianism: The right act is one that actually produces the greatest amount of overall happiness for the most people.
Some Assumptions:
The only intrinsic good (i.e. the only thing good in itself) is happiness.
Happiness is having more (and better kinds) of pleasure over pain.
Utilitarianism
A decision procedure:
Determine all your options. Which actions are open to you at the moment?
For each option, determine the value of its results. How much intrinsic good (e.g. pleasure) will it bring about? How much intrinsic bad (e.g. pain)?
Pick the action that yields the best balance—the highest ratio of good to bad results. That is your moral duty.
Deontology
Kant’s Deontology: The right action is one that is done out of good will, and observes two “Categorical Imperatives” (i.e. rules that have no exceptions):
Universalizability: The right action and the right reason for action is one that everyone could act on, and that you would be willing to have everyone act on it.
Autonomy: The right action is one that treats people as ends in themselves and not as means only.
An Assumption:
The only thing that is intrinsically valuable is a good will, i.e. being motivated to do good for its own sake, not for its consequences, because you desire it, or for other benefits to you.
Deontology
A Decision Procedure:
Formulate a maxim or principle clearly—state what you intend to do, and why you intend to do it.
Imagine a world in which everyone supports and acts on that maxim.
Then ask: Can the goal of my action be achieved in such a world? If so, the act is morally right.
Does this act treat others as ends and not as means only? If so, it is morally right.
Test Case: Lying
Potential Maxim:
It’s ok to lie if it gets me what I want.
Categorical Imperative: Can I will that everyone should lie if it gets them what they want?
If everyone lied to get what they wanted, then no one would believe anyone else.
Lying requires that others believe you.
So, you would not be able to lie.
So, lying is immoral.
Deontology II
Ross’ Prima Facie Duties: Sometimes universal moral duties conflict, so these moral principles cannot be absolute.
Fidelity: keeping promises, being true to our word.
Reparations: repairing harm we’ve done.
Gratitude: acknowledging benefits others have given us.
Justice: ensuring that virtue is rewarded and vice punished.
Benficience: enhancing the good of others.
Self-Improvement: enhancing one’s own good.
Nonmaleficence: preventing harm to others.
Center for Refugee Services
The mission of CRS is to promote wellness, self-sufficiency, and successful community integration of resettled refugees and their families.
Rights-Based Ethics
Natural rights: what we are entitled to simply in virtue of being human.
Rights-Based Ethics
Natural rights: what we are entitled to simply in virtue of being human.
E.g. The inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Rights-Based Ethics
Natural rights: what we are entitled to simply in virtue of being human.
Two Types:
Liberty rights (negative rights): the right to be left alone to pursue our legitimate interests (interests that don’t violate other’s interests), e.g. freedom of speech, freedom of religion
Rights-Based Ethics
Natural rights: what we are entitled to simply in virtue of being human.
Two Types:
Liberty Rights (Negative rights): the right to be left alone to pursue our legitimate interests (interests that don’t violate other’s interests), e.g. freedom of speech, freedom of religion
Welfare Rights (Positive rights): The right to receive certain social goods necessary for us to pursue our legitimate interests. E.g. public schools, police protection.
UN Refugee Convention (1951)
“The Convention is both a status and rights-based instrument and is under- pinned by a number of fundamental principles, most notably non-discrimination, non-penalization, and non-refoulement.”
UN Refugee Convention
The Convention further stipulates that, subject to specific exceptions, refugees should not be penalized for their illegal entry or stay. This recognizes that the seeking of asylum can require refugees to breach immigration rules.
Next: Virtue Ethics
Read & Apply Theories to Pig that Wants to be Eaten, experiment #’s
14: Bank Error in your Favor
89: Killing and Letting Die