Stocker, Schizophrenia of Modern Ethical Theories

Ethics and the purpose of theories

Ethics: supposed to help us decide what to do - identify some value to be concerned about and how to properly respond to this value.

Theories aren’t “rule-books” that give you orders, but tells you why (value theory) and how (normative theory) to act

Main Claim

The motives an ethical theory provides had better themselves be good, according to the theory

“Schizophrenic”: justifications for one’s actions cannot also be one’s motive for acting

Self-effacing moral theory

If you determine what the theory says you should do, but then you have to do it without being motivated by this determination.

Example

Friends hospital visit: protests that he always tries to do what he thinks is his duty. 

• Not essentially because of you that he came to see you, not because you are friends, but because he thought it is his duty

Stocker: something lacking - taking duty as a motive, seems to make you a bad friend

Only coming to maximize overall/average happiness.

• Utilitarian calculus and being motivated by it just makes you a crappy friend.

Moral justification (or reason) for the visit cannot also be the motive for the visit

Supporting argument - utilitarian schizophrenia

Utilitarians value love/community, but true love/community cannot be achieved by being motivated by what their actions are justified by (maximizing pleasure).

> Being motivated by maximizing pleasure is not to be concerned for the loved person for their own sake

Supporting argument 2 - kantian schizophrenia

Kantians value people (humanity at large).

> But true love/community requires concern for a particular individual, for no other sake than the individual itself, rather than concern for this person out of a general concern for one’s duty towards humanity

Supporting argument 3 - harmony

Value and motive concur.

> Disharmony: one has philosophically reasoned oneself into an act that violates one’s values

 Ethical theories that result in disharmony is not tenable

Egoism: motivated by individual pleasure.

> Value love, friendship, and community —> important for a happy life

Appeal to self-concern to justify actions - taking justification also as motivation for their interaction with other people —> will not find individual pleasure

> Taking justification-as-motivation removes them from true relationships (highest individual pleasure)

> To obtain some good that the egoist wants, must act not from egoism - what they are motivated by (personal pleasure) cannot be achieved by what their actions are justified by (pure self-concern).

Counterpoint - intentions

These ethical theories are not intended to supply what can serve as both reasons and motives

Perhaps ethicists are only providing theories of value.

> Utilitarians value love, friendship as sources of personal happiness.

> Kantians value humanity as an absolute end.

> Does not matter to the legislator whether you share their motivations, or are just doing what you are told - all is well if the rules are followed.

Rebuttal

What is the point of a theory that cannot be acted on?

> Pointless that such theories provide worthy goals but don’t recommend to act out of concern for these goals

> A moral theory providing you with justification, but not with motivation, is just a rule book - tells you nothing about your concerns when acting

> To be a good person (a good friend), your motivation matters.

Supporting argument 4 - zooming out

As long as one is motivated by egoism, utilitarianism, or kantianism, one will not achieve love, friendship, community - must be motivated by something else

Not just exclusive to secular ethics - God’s command may justify action, but being motivated by God’s command will not fulfill the command to create community.

Supporting argument 5 - virtue ethics

> Be just! tells you not just to act justly, but for the sake of justice - So it seems that virtue ethics is not schizophrenic.

Not the same for other values/desires - > Visiting your friend being motivated by the desire to Be a good friend! is also not the same as valuing that friendship!

> A virtuous person also has the right motivation in all situations.

The rest of us, who are not perfectly virtuous, we look to virtue for action guidance.