RS Revision - Ethical Theories

What did Thomas Hobbes believe?

Thomas Hobbes believed that humans are naturally self interested. - Ethical Egoism

Thomas Hobbes was a

ethical egoist

How does Hobbes explain people being motivated by concern for others

Hobbes said that acting morally is in our best interest

What is the state of nature?

The state of nature is a world where there are no laws.

what does Hobbes say would happen in the state of nature?

HOBBES reason that all humans would pursue their self interest and this means they were coming into conflict with with each other causing a constant state of war of everyone against everyone else. He he described life in the state of nature as solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.

How did HOBBES use this to justify society rules?

he argued that it makes sense for us to give up our freedom to do as we please and to agree to follow moral rules. only this way can we have a stable and cooperative society that allows for peace and prosperity

What is the key idea of ethical egoism?

In sum, we behave morally not because we're genuinely motivated to be kind to others. but simply because we calculate we are better off to do so

What is utilitarianism?

utilitarianism is a teleological theory of morals which says that we should choose things on the basis of what brings about the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

What ethical theory was Jeremy Bentham associated with?

Jeremy Bentham was associated with utilitarianism

Teleological definition

This is an approach to ethics that teaches an action is moral or immoral depending on its outcome/consequences

how many principles are there in hedonic calculus?

Seven

What are the principles of hedonic calculus?

intensity of pleasure

duration of pleasure

certainty of pleasure

remoteness of pleasure

chance of succession of pleasure

purity of pleasure

extent of pleasure

Who was John Stuart Mill?

John Stewart Mill was another philosopher who adapted Bentham’s approach to utilitarianism. He believed there are different types of happiness in the world.

What types of pleasure did Mill believe in?

Mill believed that there are human pleasures and animal pleasures. Examples of human pleasures are things only humans could enjoy such as art, music and problem-solving. These pleasures are higher pleasures than animal pleasures which include things like eating. Higher pleasures are worth more than lower, animal pleasures.

Did Mill believe the society could have rules?

Mill thought it was necessary to have some rules for society. He said that the rules should be things which, if followed universally, would be likely to bring about the greatest happiness.

What is natural law?

Natural law is an ethical system set out by Thomas Aquinas, an Italian monk and philosopher who lived in the 13th century

What did Aquinas teach?

Aquinas taught: we are all created with the inclination to do good and the ability to be rational.

We can use our reason to work out what God creates us for and what God wants us to do.

It is good to do what God wants us to do, and bad to misuse things in ways God did not intend

Primary precepts of natural law theory

Preserved life

Reproduce

Educate children

Peaceful society

Worship God

What are secondary precepts of natural law?

from the primary precepts, we can work out secondary precepts. For example, if we have a duty to preserve life then we might conclude that abortion is wrong or neglecting to help a person when we could help them is wrong because that would go against the precept to live in a peaceful society. From the idea we should reproduce we might conclude same-sex relationships or contraception are wrong.

What are some problems with natural law theory?

It might not be easy to work out what God intends as Aquinas think it is.

Some of the conclusions might seem counter-intuitive or go against modern about human rights. For example, the conclusion that homosexuality is wrong.

If humans have evolved, then the idea that they have a God-given purpose seems dubious.

important questions to think about the exam with natural law theory

how utilitarianism or natural law ethics would apply to issues such as whether to have an abortion, how to treat the environment, whether to tell a white lie or whether to permit embryo experimentation.

Whether it is better to have fixed rules that always apply - deontological ethics - or whether to look at the consequences - consequentialist ethics