Moral Reasoning

Morality

concerns beliefs regarding morally right and wrong actions and morally good and bad persons or character

Ethics

the study of morality using the tools and methods of philosophy

Philosophy

a discipline that systematically examines lifes big questions through critical reasoning, logical argument, and careful reflection

Descriptive Ethics

the study of morality using the methodology of science. its purpose is to investigate the empirical facts of morality

normative ethics

the search for, and justification of, moral standards, or norms

concerned w/ spelling out and justifying standards of right and wrong conduct

what moral principles if any should inform our moral judgeents?

what role should virtues play in our lives?

meta ethics

the study of the meaning and justification of basic moral beliefs

concerned with studying the concepts and judgements used in normative ethics

what might meta ethics ask?

are moral judgements true or false?

are there moral facts?

applied ethics

the use of moral norms and concepts to resolve practical moral issues

what might applied ethics ask?

is abortion wrong?

should human embryos be used in research?

moral dominance

moral norms trump other norms

universiality

moral norms have universality. they apply to all relative similar situations

impartiality

idea that everyone should be considered equal, and that everyones interests should count the same when engaging in moral reasoning

reasonableness

moral norms must be backed by reasons

what are moral norms applied to?

moral obligations

moral values

moral obligations

what we must or must not do to be good moral agents

moral values

things that make us morally good or bad

moral actions can be

permissible

prohibited

obligatory

permissible moral actions

would not be wrong to do

prohibited moral actions

would be wrong to do

obligatory moral actions

would be wrong if not done

absolute principle

applies without exceptions.

Ex: a principle that we should not lie demands that we never lie regardless of the circumstances or the consequences

Prima facie principle

applies in all cases unless there is an exception

physicians have a duty to tell their patients the truth but if this does them harm then that is the exception

autonomy

persons rational capacity for self-governance or self-determination-the ability to direct one’s own life and choose for oneself

autonomy restriction example

paternalism

paternalism

overriding a persons actions or decision making for their own good

weak paternalism

seems permissible to many people

strong paternalism

usually though to be objectionable

Nonmaleficence

asks us to not intentionally or unintentionally cause inflict harm on others

beneficence

we should do good to others by advancing their welfare

utility

we should produce the most favorable balance of good over bad for all concerned

justice

people getting what is fair or what is their due

retributive jsutice

concerns the fair meting out of punishment for wrongdoing

Distributive Justice

concerns the fair distribution of societys advantages and disadvantages

Libertarian theories

emphasize personal freedoms and the right to pursue ones own social and economic well being in a free market without interference from otheres

egalitarian theories

maintains that a just distribution is an equal distribution

moral objectivism

idea that some norms or principles are true of everybody

can either be absolutists (allow no exceptions)

ethical relativism

moral principles are not objective but relative to what individuals or cultures believe

moral principles are chosen not discovered

subjective relativism

view that right actions are those sanctioned by a person

implies that another commonplace of the moral life is an illusion: moral disagreement

cultural relativism

view that right actions are those sanctioned by ones culture

1. if peoples moral judgements differ from culture to culture, moral norms are relative to culture

2. peoples moral judgments do differ from culture to culture

3. therefore, moral norms are relative to culture (there are no objective moral standards)

divine command theory

says that right actions are those commanded by God, and wrong actions are those forbidden by God

Euthyphro dilemma

are actions morally right because God commands them or does God command actions because they are morally right?

moral arguments

is one or more statements that give support for believing a further statement

premises, conclusion and statement

presmises

supporting statements

conclusion

supported statement

statement

an assertion that something is or is not the case, and so can be true or false

what are the two types of arguments?

deductive and inductive arguments

deductive arguments

intended to give logically conclusive support to their conclusions so that if the premises are true, the conclusion absoluty must be true

deductive argument example

1. all dogs are mammals

2. rex is a dog

3. therefore, rex is a mammal

valid argument

cannot have true premises and a false conclusion

unsound argument

either false premises or invalid

sound argument

true premises and is valid

inductive arguments

supposed to give probable support to their conclusion

they are not designed to support their conclusions decisively

inductive argument example

1. 85% of the students at this university are republicans

2. sonia is a student at this university

3. therefore sonia is probably a republican

strong argument

if their premises are true, their conclusions are probably true

weak argument

if they fail to provide probable support

cogent argument

when a strong (inductive) argument has true premises, it is also a good argument