ph exam 1

Aristotle

• be the ultimate good

• (MORAL VIRTUE)

Kant

• categorical imperative 1: universal law

• categorical imperative 2: treat others with value

• (DUTY)

Mill

• long term outcome is to max happiness and min pain

• (RESULT)

intellectual virtue (aristotle)

• Taught by others, needs experience and time

• Does not arise in us naturally

• By nature we are able to acquire them

how are morals states of character (aristotle)

• When someone acts upon a virtue it is from choice and habit so people either praise or blame them for acting on it unlike feelings because they just happen to us.

• Virtue is how ppl have trained themselves to be (habit)

How does aristotle define happiness? (aristotle)

• Aristotle says happiness comes from being the ultimate good and exploring virtue

• Happiness is only and desirable for its own sake

how are aristotles acts life of virtue (aristotle)

Ppl are happy when they live out that goodness though their choices and actions. Besides just living a life where they had potential to be good

Describe the function of man (aristotle)

• Life of reason: using our ability to think and obey reason and not just existing or following instincts.

• What make a man a good man

• The function of an excellent man is to do the function that makes him excellent, to do it well and finely ex: the harpist

moral virtues (aristotle)

• known by habit

• Does not arise in us naturally

• By nature we are able to acquire them

How are morals states of character (aristotle)

• When someone acts upon a virtue it is from choice and habit so people either praise or blame them for acting on it unlike feelings because they just happen to us.

• Virtue is how ppl have trained themselves to be (habit)

Moral virtues (lying) in a mean (aristotle)

• Mean is relative to everyone by depending on the person, situation, and reason

• Virtue is ab having the right feelings at the right times, about the right things, towards the right ppl.

• To have wise and rational behavior between extremes

what does it mean to do a craft virtuously (aristotle)

• you must know it's virtues

• do it for its own sake

• you must consistently do it (do it no matter what, not when it's convenient)

Describe the good will and why it's good for its own sake (kant)

• The good will: the willingness to do ones duty. The desire to do what one ought to do

• the outcome does not matter, it’s the intent of doing it is what's important

Describe moral worthiness and give examples (kant)

• Definition: when duty requires it and no other reason, you get no benefit/honor/reward/pleasure. You just do it.

• Example: you save someone from drowning and you don't expect a reward, you save them because you see them drowning and don't want them to die

Why is moral worthiness not a concept of experience/empirical notion (kant)

• We can't tell if people are morally worthy bc you can only see people actions not their intentions. We do not know ppls motives.

• Ex: if you see someone save someone from drowning, are they helping them bc they are drowning or bc you hope to get paid after.

Hypothetical Imperative (kant)

• What to do if you want a certain outcome

• Depends on: goal/desires

• Ex: if you want to pass the class you should study

Categorical imperative: (kant)

• What to do no matter what you want

• Depends on: moral duty

• Ex: you should tell the truth

1st formulation of categorical imperative (kant)

• Act only from moral rules you can at the same time will to be universal moral laws

• Simpler: before you act, ask yourself, would it make sense is everyone acted this way all the time?

• Ex: pretend you lie to get out of trouble. If everyone lied to their advantage then trust would disappear and no one would believe each other. Lying cannot be a universal moral law therefore it is not morally right

• Step 1: identify the maxim

  • If I want X, then I ought to do Y

• Step 2: universalize the maxim

  • What would the world look like if everyone did this

• Step 3: check for contradiction

  • If yes: I have a perfect duty not to act to this maxim

  • If no: I have an imperfect duty not to act thus

2nd formulation categorical imperative (kant)

• So act as to treat humanity, whether in thine own person or in that of any other, in every case as an end withal, never as means only.

• Simpler: Always treat ppl as valuable in themselves, not just as tools to get what you want

• Ex: if you lie to someone to borrow money, you're using them and only treating them like a means to your end instead of treating them like a person

rationality (kant)

• Ppl act according to principles bc they recognize reason and universal moral laws (categorical imperative)

• Rationality is the capacity to recognize moral law and free will is the capacity to act according to it

free will (kant)

• Act according to your own rational principles

• Autonomy of the will

• Morality is possible

•  Rationality is the capacity to recognize moral law and free will is the capacity to act according to it

Principle of utility (mill)

Maximizing happiness and minimizing pain for everyone affected by the action

Understand justification: for mill

humans naturally value happiness, our morality should guide us to max out happiness levels.

what is happiness accordig to mill

• pleasure and the avoidance of pain

• High happiness: pleasure of the mind like learning, creativity, and feelings

• Low happiness: physical pleasures like eating or resting

Computation objection mill

• Understand there is no time

• Ppl say it's useless to calculate every consequences of an action bc it takes too long

what is mill’s rebuttal

Mill says rely on general moral rules/experience to maximize happiness

Understand mill’s swine objection and rebuttal (animals)

Ppl say that utilitarianism reduces human pleasures by comparing us to animals but he says that He said humans think and do more than animals, we have higher pleasures