FINAL Intro To Philosophy Test 4

ethics is the same as morality

true

ethical relativism

normality is relative to individuals, society, culture so whatever a person/society believes to be morally right is morally right.

problems for ethical relativism for groups or society

• it amounts to the claim that you cannot criticize another culture’s morality

• it amounts to the claim that moral reformers are always morally wrong

• it amounts to the claim that a culture’s morality can never be incorrect, since we belong to many groups, which group or culture’s moral rule do you follow?

problems for morality relative to individuals

everyone moral judgements are always correct (and that seems implausible)

cultural relativism

a historical fact that societies have different moralities

ethical absolutism

morality is not relative, so whatever a person/society believes is morally right may not be so

problems for ethical absolutism

determining which moral code is the one true moral code

teleological

consequentialist

theories of morality

the consequence of the action determines its morality (ethical egoism, utilitarianism)

a problem for all of the consequentialist theories

the consequences of actions often cannot be determined

deontological theories of morality (non-consequentialist)

the morality of action is due to something other than its consequences

• kant’s categorical imperative

• rights-based theories

• divine command theory

kants categorical imperitive

rights-based theories

divine command theory

morality comes from gods commandments

ethical egoism

morally right action are what increases the self-interest of the individual

psychological egoism

the theory of psychology that holds that we only act for self-interested reasons

intrinsic goods

valuable for their own sake; an example is happiness

extrinsic goods

valuable because they lead to other things we values; an example is money

utilitarianism: utility

human goods or values

morality is concerned with….

utility of people, not just the individual

bentham thought…

utility is pleasure

mill thought…

utility is happiness

pleasure machine example shows:

we value more than pleasure

act-utilitarianism

the action which increases utility for the most people is the right action

problem for act-utilitarianism

doctor patient example, killing one healthy person to save 5 sick people

rule-utilitarianism

the rule that increases utility is the morally right rule

problem for rule-utilitarianism

slavery rule, where 5% of society is enslaved to increase happiness of other 95%

kant’s ethical theory

only intrinsically good thing is a good will

if an action is wrong…

it is always wrong

categorical imperitive

what determines which action is morally right or wrong

first formulation of categorical imperative

if when you will that all people do the action, and this does not prevent you from doing the action, then it is morally right. (if when you will that all people do the action, and this DOES prevent you from doing the action, then it is morally wrong)

second formulation of categorical imperative

“always treat people as an end in themselves, and not a means to an end”, which means we cant use people for our ends (and therefore this is a rights-based theory of morality)

problem for second formulation of categorical imperative

it is hard to determine whether you are treating a person as an end in themselves, or as a means to and end

problems for kantian ethics for both formulations

a person must always tell the truth, even to the murderer who is looking for his victims, and that seems morally wrong. thus, the consequences of action are important for morality

problems with divine command theory

it provides a selfish reason for doing morally right actions; determining which interpretation of a religious moral text is correct; determining which religion is the correct religion

platos “euthyprho” argument

two options, either:

1. god commands actions because they are morally right

2. actions are morally right because god commands them

problem with “god commands actions because they are morally right”:

this makes god the messenger of morality, and not its foundation

problem with “actions are morally right because god commands them”:

this is a “might makes right” moral theory, which people reject; and this means god could command that murder is morally right

virtue ethics: virtue

admirable human quality

aristotle believed that…

a balanced life that avoids extremes is more likely to bring happiness