Story of Ethics Chapter 4

1
Story of Ethics Chapter 4

• Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and Mill

2
Nietzsches View of Life

• Existence is absurd.
• We must accept this.

3
Nietzsches Ethical Ideal

• We should be self-creating beings.

4
The Problem Socratic Optimism

• Devalues the here and now.
• The triumph of slave morality.

5
Responses to Nietzsche

• We can become whatever we want, but this is
  surely not right.
• Might makes right.

6
Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

• Stages on Lifes Way
• Stage 1 Aesthetic Stage
• Stage 2 Ethical Stage
• Stage 3 Religious Stage

7
John Stuart Mill

• Kidney donation case

8
Mills Theory Utilitarianism

• What makes right actions right?
• The Principle of Utility the right action is
  the one that promotes the most happiness for the
  most people.

9
Utilitarianism

• Extreme Impartiality

10
2 Versions

• Act Utilitarianism an act is right if it
  produces the most happiness for the most people.
• Rule Utilitarianism an act is right if it
  follows a rule that generally produces the most
  happiness for the most people.

11
Objections to Utilitarianism

• What are some possible problems for this view?

12
Objections to Utilitarianism

• Pleasure should not be lifes highest goal.
• Mills response?

13
Objections to Utilitarianism

• It is a godless doctrine.
• Mills response.

14
Objections to Utilitarianism

• The calculation objection.

15
Objections to Utilitarianism

• It is too demanding.

16
Objections to Utilitarianism

• The problem of justice.

17
Objections to Utilitarianism

• The Repugnant Conclusion