Introduction to Ethics

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Introduction to Ethics
2a
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Ethics Philosophy Finding My Voice

• Philosophical Approach to Inquiry
• Introduction to Moral Reasoning Principles

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Analytic Western Philosophy

• Big Picture Questions
• Broad Perspectives
• Good Reasoning

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Areas of Study in Western Philosophy

• Metaphysics
• Epistemology
• Ethics
• Aesthetics
• Social and Political Philosophy
• Philosophy of Science/Biology
• Logic

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Increase Your Analytic Skills

• You will
• Acquire understanding
• Examine reasoning
• Apply alternative reasoning

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Good Reasoning Includes

• Careful examination of key terms and
  concepts.
• Clarity and consistency of reasons. (yours or
  others)
• Provide explicit reasons or evidence for your
  conclusions
• Consideration of alternative viewpoints

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What not to Learn in an Ethics Class

• Dogmas
• Propaganda
• Ultimate or absolute right answers
• Simplistic rules for conduct
• Reference Milgram Experiments

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Ethics vs. Morality

• Ethics (from Greek Ethos
  character)
• Morality (from Latin Moralis
  customs/manners)
• We will use these terms interchangeably

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Morality

• Moral
• Concerning Right or Wrong Conduct
• Immoral
• Contrary to Accepted Moral Principles
• Amoral
• To have NO MORAL SENSE (being indifferent to
  right and wrong).

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Moral Philosophy

• The study of the moral values and guidelines
  (principles) by which we live, as well as the
  justification of these values and guidelines.

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Moral Principles

• The rational bases values or guidelines by
  which we make ethical judgments.

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Moral Principles

• Objective?
• Subjective?
• Neither?

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Our Emphasis CONTEXT and USE

• Avoid Vulgar Relativism
• Avoid Contradictions of Universalist Claims
• Result Consider Advantages of Reasonable Moral
  Pluralism

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Moral Context Holistic Approachincludes

• Initial Judgments (particular cases)
• Moral Values and Principles
• Background Beliefs and Theories
• Use Reasoning and Knowledge
• Result New Moral Pluralism

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FOLKWAYS Wm. Sumner (1840-1910) Background /
Context

• Folkways
• Mores and Morals
• Social Code
• Ethical Relativism Vulgar vs. Reasonable
  Relativism

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Anthropocentrism

• Any view of the universe that regards humanity
  as its central fact or basis.

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Moral Theories(Two Main Types)

• ETHICAL RELATIVIST
• UNIVERSALIST

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Ethical RelativistMoral Theories

• There are no independent or objective Moral
  Theories
• Morality is created by people

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Universalist (Objectivist)Moral Theories

• There are fundamental, objective moral principles
  and values.
• These values are universally true for all people,
  independent of their personal beliefs or cultures

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Ethical Relativism

• Claim Morality is different for
  different people
• Two main subdivisions (1) Ethical
  Subjectivism (2) Cultural Relativism

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Ethical Subjectivism

• Individual people create their own morality.
• There are no objective moral truths.
• There are only individual opinions/preferences.
  
• Rightness or wrongness of our actions depends
  solely on how we each feel about that moral
  issue (If it feels right to me,
  then it is right for me)

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Cultural Relativism

• Popular with late 19th and early 20th century
  Anthropologists
• Morality is relative to societal norms.
• Standards of right and wrong are created by
  public opinion (rather than private or individual
  opinion).

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Personhood

• Definition of Person in Ethics A
  Being of moral worth
• Do not conflate the concepts person and human
  being in moral philosophy

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NEXT

• Aristotle
• Early Virtue Ethics

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Early Virtue Ethics
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Virtue Ethics

• Emphasis on
• Nature of our moral being.
• Character rather than on principles or rules.
• Virtueoverriding quality of the self
  reflected in our character
• Our focus
• Aristotles Method to Find Virtues

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Aristotle Born in Stagira (Chalcidice) 384
B.C.E.Northern Aegean Sea / North Greece
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ARISTOTLE

• HisStory (384-322 B.C.E.)
• Born in Stagira (Macedonia) Greece/Yugoslavia)
• Platos most famous student
• Started at Platos Academy - 17 years of
  age. (Studied 20 years)
• FatherNichomachus Court Physician to Amyntas
  II, King of Macedon.
• Father of
• Nicomachean Ethics

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Aristotle Virtue

• Two classes
• Intellectual Virtues
• Cultivated through experience/growth
• Moral Virtues ethikefrom ethos/habit
• Cultivated through habit

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Aristotle Wisdom

• Shows Virtue to be one of 3 things found in the
  soul.
• Passions
• Faculties
• States of Character
• Makes all other virtues possible

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The Doctrine of the Mean

Mean
Courage
Deficiency
Excess
Impulsive/ imprudent
Cowardice
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SummaryAristotles Virtue Ethics

• Virtues emphasize our underlying moral nature.
• Character comes first, rules etc., second
• Virtues give unity and integrity to who we are
  and are reflected in our Character.
• Moral virtues are cultivated through habit.
• Wisdom makes all other virtues possible.

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Virtue Ethics Other Examples

• Confucian Ethics
• Buddhist Virtue Ethics
• Feminist Care Ethics