Moral Reasoning in Ethical Issues and skepticism in ethics, and branches of moral philosophy

impartial consideration

Moral judgments must be backed by good

reasons; and second, morality requires the

________ of each individual’s

interests.

reason

If we want to discover the truth, we

must let our feelings be guided as

much as possible by __________-

impartiality

this requires to not treat the

members of particular groups as inferior,

and thus it condemns forms of

discrimination like sexism and racism

conscientious moral agent

who is concerned impartially with the interests of

everyone affected by what he or she does;

ethical egoism

people who believe that we have no duties to others, ought to pursue his or her own self interest exclusively.

psychological egoism

asserts that each person does in fact pursue his or her own

self- interest exclusively.

psychological egoism

it is not a credible theory.

Moral theorizing need not be a naïve endeavor,

based on an unrealistic view of human nature.

altruism

he belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Altruism Is Self- Defeating.

The policy of “looking out for others” is an offensive

intrusion into other people’s privacy.

Ayn Rand’s Argument

It says to a person: Your life is merely something

to be sacrificed.

Ethical Egoism as Compatible with Commonsense Morality

Ethical Egoists would say that all these duties are

ultimately derived from the one fundamental principle

of self-interest.

Ethical Egoism Endorses

Wickedness.

allows bad actions if they help you, which many people find problematic.

Ethical Egoism Is

Logically Inconsistent.

no theory can be true if it contradicts itself.

Ethical Egoism Is Unacceptably Arbitrary.

It advocates dividing the world into two categories of

people— ourselves and everyone else—and it urges

us to regard the interests of those in the first group as

more important than the interests of those in the

second group.

cultural relativism

Different cultures have different

moral codes. Therefore, there are no

universal moral truths, the customs of

different societies are all that exist.

Value Theory

• What is the good life?

• What is worth pursuing for its own sake?

• How do we improve our lot in life?

• What is happiness, and is it the very same thing as well-being?

Normative ethics

• What are our fundamental moral duties?

• What makes right actions right?

• Which character traits count as virtues, which as vices, and why?

• Who should our role models be?

• Do the ends always justify the means, or are there certain types of action that should never be done under any circumstances?

metaethics

• What is the status of moral claims and advice?

• Can ethical theories, moral principles, or specific moral verdicts be true?  If so, what makes them true?

• Can we gain moral wisdom? If so, how?

• Do we always have a good reason to do our moral duty?

Value Theory

explores what is good, valuable, or worth pursuing in life. It asks big-picture questions about well-being and what makes life meaningful or fulfilling.

normative ethics

deals with moral standards and rules—what people should or ought to do. It provides answers to questions about right and wrong, good and bad actions, and moral character.

metaethics

is the philosophical study of the nature of morality itself. It asks deeper questions about the meaning, truth, and justification of moral beliefs.

Moral Criticism of Law and Tradition

Neither the _______ nor _______ is immune from moral criticism. What is legal or customary can still be morally wrong.

Fallibility

Everyone is morally _______. No one is entirely correct in their ethical beliefs, and all people make moral mistakes.

valuable

Friendship is _______. It improves your life by giving you meaningful relationships and mutual care.

impossible

We are not morally required to do the _______. Morality must account for human limitations.

children

_______ bear less moral responsibility than adults because they have less capacity for informed and guided decision-making.

justice

is very important moral good. Fair treatment and getting what we deserve are essential to any sound moral theory.

excellent reason

The default moral rule is: do no harm. Hurting others requires strong moral _______ or else it is unjustified.

equals

_______ ought to be treated equally. When relevantly similar people are treated differently, injustice has occurred.

interest

Ethics isn't just about our own well-being. Sometimes morality requires us to act against our own _______ for the sake of others.

pain

Intense physical or emotional _______ is bad and needs strong justification if ever caused.

power

people in _______ doesn’t justify immoral actions. Getting away with wrongdoing doesn’t make it right.

right

If someone knowingly and freely agrees to something, their _______ are not violated—even if they’re later harmed.