ETHICAL RELATIVISM

Moral Relativism

• The standard of right or wrong that is relative to a particular culture or society

• Contradiction between common beliefs and ordinary experiences

Ex: Eating pork for other religions (muslim) is not allowed, but since most of the people in our country is catholic, they eat pork.

Deontological (depends on the culture)

Ethical framework of Moral Relativism

Relativism

• subjective

• Situation Ethics

  • Pragmatism

  • Utilitarianism

• Kant’s Ethics

• Ross’ Ethics

• Rawls’ Justice

Kinds of Moral Relativism

• Love only is ‘good’ nothing else

• Love is the only norm nothing else

• Love and justice is the same thing

• Love is not the same as liking

• Love justifies the means

• Love decides there and then (situation doesn’t create a new rule)

6 Fundamental Principles (guidelines to follow)

Situation Ethics

• Moral norms depends on a given situation, one must always act in the name of Christian love (Agapeic love)

• Makes moral decisions flexible and adaptable to varying situation; does not and cannot guarantee an impartial judgement (not fair)

Virtue (situational)

Ethical framework of Situation Ethics

Application of Situation Ethics

RAPE VICTIM

In 1962, a patient in a state mental hospital rapes an unmarried girl with schizophrenic psychosis. She became pregnant and her father requested an abortion which was against the law. It was denied.

• denied because of the status of the persons involved (cannot remember what happened so not in the right mind to decide for abortion; they may want it too)

Application of Situation Ethics

CRYING BABY

In the 18th century, many families traveled Boone’s trail to Kentucky risking their lives in Indian warfare. A woman with a crying baby saw that it risked the whole groups position away and killed it herself to enable the group to reach the fort.

Application of Situation Ethics

SINKING SHIP

In 1841, the William Brown ship struck an iceberg and began to sink. One of the lifeboats was over full capacity. Rain and rough seas doomed them. One of the mates ordered the males into the sea. When they refused he pitched them out.

Pragmatism

• The true and valid form of knowledge is one which is practical, workable, beneficial and useful.

• A practical art of moral judgement is right or wrong considering its practical usefulness and beneficiality

Teleological

Ethical framework of Pragmatism

Application of Pragmatism

TWINS

On August 8 2000, two girls named Jodie and Mary were born in London. They were conjoined twins. The Catholic church said they would rather have both the girls die than ill one of them to save the other, as this would be considered as an evil act.

Utilitarianism

• Actions are good in so far as they tend to promote happiness, bad as they tend to produce unhappiness

• Formulation of policies, directives, guidelines, lack of justice, impractical

“it’s okay to compromise”

Teleological

Ethical framework of Utilitarianism

Application of Utilitarianism

HEALTHCARE

you are an organ donor; in exchange of your organs, you will die but there are more than 6 patients who will be happy.

Kant’s Ethics - Immanuel Kant

• Application of the Golden Rule

• Duty to do good will!

• ALWAYS wrong to lie, no matter what the mean/consequence may be

• Good results never make an action morally right!”

“the end does not justify the mean”

Deontological

Ethical framework of Kant’s Ethics

Ross’ Ethics - William David Ross

• Synthesis of the consequence aspect of utilitarianism and the duty aspects of Kant’s Ethics

Duties are classified as:

• Actual Duty - action one ought to choose from among many other actions

• Prima Facie Duty - ”First sight duty” duty that is obligatory

“Am I going to Die?”

Actual Duty - tell the truth

Prima Facie Duty - give comfort of the mind

Fidelity, Reparation, Gratitude, Justice, Beneficence, Self-improvement, Nonmaleficence

Duty Ethics Examples:

Fidelity

• duty to keep promises

Reparation

• duty to compensate others when we harm them

Gratitude

• duty to thank others who helped us

Justice

• duty to recognize fair distribution of happiness

Beneficence

• duty to improve the conditions of others

Self-improvement

• duty to improve our virtue and intelligence

Nonmaleficence

• duty to not injure others

Deontological

Ethical framework of Rawls’ Justice

Rawls’ Justice - John Rawl

Two fold principle (to have justice)

• Equal access to basic human right and liberties

• Fair distribution of social goods

• everyone is inviolable

• Order of priority

• Legitimacy of Paternalism

Deontological

Ethical framework of Ross’ Ethics