Phil discussion 10

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Ppt13IntroEthicalTheoriespart1.ppt
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Philosophy 1001

PPT 13

Introduction to Ethical Theories

Part 1

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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Smile

TERMS TO KNOW

  • Consequentialist
  • Non-Consequentialist
  • Deism
  • Theory names (more theories to come in next ppt)
  • Social Contract
  • Egoism
  • Divine Command
  • Natural law/Natural Rights

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WHAT IS AN ETHICAL THEORY

  • In Ppt 12 we asked what the basis or foundation of our ethical choices can or should be. Ethical theories attempt to identify an ethical foundation and to create a principle or strategy by which ethics can be worked out.
  • Questions and thoughts

Every ethical theory has some weakness.

Can we expect society to accept and use a particular ethical theory?

Perhaps various ethical theories can be used in combination.

What are the metaphysical and epistemological ideas behind an ethical theory?

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EVALUATION OF THEORIES

  • Consequentialist Ethical Theories
  • Right and wrong based on outcome or consequences of actions taken or not taken.
  • Non- Consequentialist Ethical Theories
  • Right and wrong based on following a principle or value regardless of outcomes or consequences
  • Critiquing theories
  • Advantages/Disadvantages?
  • Historical context?
  • Immediate or later impact?
  • What kind of approach, is influenced by a theory i.e. Systemic or Personal/Individual?
  • (Remember; Individual and societal theories often conflict)

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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THEORIES AND PROPONENTS

  • (This ppt)
  • Social Contract
  • Egoism
  • Divine Command
  • Natural Law /Natural Rights
  • (ppt 14)
  • Utilitarianism
  • Kantian Ethics
  • Virtue Ethics
  • Care Ethics/Feminist ethics

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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THE SOCIAL CONTRACT – THOMAS HOBBES

  • The declining authority of the Christian church in the wake of the Protestant Reformation, a new emphasis on reason and a growing naturalistic view of the universe prompted by the scientific revolution are all factors that opened the door for thinkers like Thomas Hobbes in the early modern age.

Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679

  • Father of Social Contract Theory – contractarianism
  • moral obligations arise from a “contract” made with each other as means to survive and find contentment (not from ideas of absolute or innate moral truth.)
  • reason dictates-give up limited liberties- put selves under authority of central government.

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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HOBBES CONT’D

  • Hobbes is a materialist – (would you expect materialism to produce consequentialist or non-consequentialist ethical thinking?)
  • Hobbes thinks society can only work if everyone keeps contracts (all kinds) and if a strong central government enforces them.
  • Hobbes thinks- without this contract, life is in a state of nature …and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. (Leviathan xiii,9)
  • Does Hobbes have a low or high view of human nature?
  • Is Hobbes’ approach likely to be systemic or personal/individual?

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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SOCIAL CONTRACT – CRITIQUE

  • Advantages
  • Bound to follow most important rules i.e. no killing or stealing – but negotiate on others
  • Motivation to follow rules – in own interest
  • No objective moral basis needed
  • Disadvantages
  • Relativism
  • Is contract unanimous?
  • Are animals / impaired people a part of the contract?

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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EGOISM

  • Can you ever do anything that does not in some way benefit yourself? - Ex. Rescue your child but lose your life?
  • Ethics implies altruism and self sacrifice but self interest seems to be involved in all actions, even those called self-sacrificial
  • Psychological Egoism- people always motivated by self interest
  • Ethical Egoism- since Psychological Egoism is true- only morally right choice is self -interest.
  • (students; are you not working toward your own self benefit even to the exclusion of others?)

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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EGOISM - CRITIQUE

  • Advantage
  • free to pursue self interest
  • coincides with much of what we already accept and practice
  • no objective morality to worry about
  • Disadvantage
  • altruism seems necessary
  • does egoism leave the needy behind?

Considerations

  • self interest and selfishness are not the same
  • assisting someone else, while benefiting self also benefits them
  • Is Egoism a consequentialist or non-consequentialist idea?

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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DIVINE COMMAND THEORY

  • What does the name imply?
  • Moral rules/guidelines come from God’s commands
  • Right and wrong are defined as obeying or not obeying God’s commands.
  • Two main texts for Western Judeo Christian Ethics
  • Ten Commandments Exodus 20:1-17
  • Sermon on Mount Matthew 5-7

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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10 COMMANDMENTS

  • Commands 1-4 relationship with God
  • Commands 5-10 Relationships with others

“You” is plural – directed at community

  • Basic elements- respect for others

Persons- don’t kill

Relationships- don’t commit adultery

Property – don’t steal

Integrity- don’t bear false witness

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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10 COMMANDMENTS

#1 “You shall have no other gods before me.

#2 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them;

#3 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

#4 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.

#5 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

#6 “You shall not murder.

#7 “You shall not commit adultery.

#8 “You shall not steal.

#9 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

#10 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Exodus 20: 1-17

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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SERMON ON MOUNT

  • Teaching of Jesus found in Matthew 5-7 (also in Luke)
  • Core of Christian teaching
  • Beatitudes (ex. Blessed are the meek…)
  • Lord’s Prayer
  • Other key teachings
  • Love your enemies
  • Forgiveness
  • Judgment (don’t judge)

  • Other religions contain many of

the same ideas- Judeo-Christian

dominant in Western thinking.

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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JUDEO-CHRISTIAN ETHICS

Does morality depend on religion? Western perspective on ethics has traditionally been centered in religious belief but that influence has been challenged greatly through the modern era. A person does not have to be religious to be ethical or moral but western ethics remain strongly influenced by Judeo-Christian ideas.

What is the impact of removing Judeo-Christian ethical foundations from society?

Ex. Changes in sexual ethics and marriage norms in contemporary society.

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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DIVINE COMMAND- CRITIQUE

  • Advantages
  • Objective absolute platform of moral beliefs
  • Deals with relativism
  • Provides value for humanity – absolute justification for ethics
  • Disadvantages
  • Which God or commands to follow in a multi-cultural society.
  • Does pressure to exclude religious belief from public square make divine command ethics untenable?
  • Considerations
  • Consequentialist/or non? Systemic or personal?

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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DEISM

  • Belief held by influential enlightenment Europeans, early American founding fathers
  • i.e. Franklin, Jefferson (Franklin may have rejected later)
  • God exists but is not involved in human affairs
  • “Wound up” the world- let it go- up to people to run
  • Jefferson’s Bible
  • But- early American founding fathers believed morality encouraged by religious beliefs essential for democracy to succeed.

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Phil Ppt 1 Definitions day 2

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NATURAL LAW/NATURAL RIGHTS

  • Natural law- the belief that moral ideas are evident in nature and discoverable through reason.
  • Aristotle – do things to promote human flourishing and don’t do things that hamper it.
  • Religious Natural Law – Aquinas
  • God has infused moral law into nature and we discover it.
  • Non-religious natural law
  • Moral law can be discovered through reason in nature.
  • Natural “Rights” come from natural law – Locke, Jefferson

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NATURAL RIGHTS/ LAW - CRITIQUE

  • Advantages
  • There seems to be ideas that many people resonate with that can be seen in nature, in the way life is.
  • Disadvantages
  • How do you prove a natural law exists?
  • Can you really list specific natural ideas?
  • Considerations
  • Are these ideas consequentialist or non? Systemic or personal approach?

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OBSERVATION SO FAR

  • It looks like theories based on objective moral ideas are usually going to be non- consequentialist and will favor the personal/individual approach. It looks like theories that do not hold that moral absolutes exist tend toward consequentialism and are more likely to favor a systemic type approach.

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TERMS TO KNOW

  • Consequentialist
  • Non-Consequentialist
  • Deism
  • Theory names
  • Social Contract
  • Egoism
  • Divine Command
  • Natural law/Natural Rights

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THINGS TO KNOW -THINGS TO PONDER

  • Can you describe the difference between non-consequentialist and consequentialist ethical theories?
  • Can you list the names of the ethical theories described in this ppt and give a brief explanation of each? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of each theory?

  • To Ponder
  • Do you think any of the theories we have studied so far represents what you think about ethics?

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END

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ETHICS 2002

PPT

7

GENERAL ETHICAL CONCEPTS

PPT#7

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