Philosophy & Ethical Dilemmas Study Notes

Humanities

Examples of ethical questions commonly encountered:
- Is it right to download this episode?
- Should I look for a recycling or ‘cash for cans’ bin for my drink bottle?
- Do I support horse racing?
- What brand or type of milk should I buy?
- How much were people paid to make the shirt I’m wearing?

Definition and Purpose:
- Philosophy encourages individuals to question their assumptions and beliefs, as well as their reasons for holding them.
Fundamental Questions in Philosophy:
- What is real?
- How do we know?
- Who am I?
- What does it mean to be human?

Historical Context:
- An intellectual revolution in fifth-century Athens marked an influx of thinkers and a newfound love of knowledge.
- Athenians actively engaged in debates concerning major topics including the relationship between the cosmos, man, god, and society.
Influential Philosophers:
- Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle provided foundational ideas that would be the basis for modern philosophy.

Methodology:
- Socrates did not teach his students all the answers but rather encouraged them to think independently and arrive at their own conclusions.
Purpose of Socratic Questioning:
- Engaging with complex ideas in an open and innovative manner, this method serves as a foundation for encouraging independent thought in contemporary education.

Different Disciplines within Philosophy:
- Logic: - Inquires into truth value, e.g., “Is that statement true?”
- Aesthetics: - Examines quality of art, e.g., “Is this good music?”
- Metaphysics: - Investigates existence and reality, e.g., “What is it like?”
- Ethics: - Addresses moral principles, e.g., “Is capital punishment morally wrong?”
- Epistemology: - Explores knowledge, e.g., “Is it really possible to know anything?”

Definitions:
- Popular culture (or ‘pop’ culture) stands in contrast to ‘high’ or ‘elite’ culture and targets the general masses.
- The term ‘pop music’ originates from this phenomenon.
Value of Pop Culture:
- Popular culture is not inherently of lower quality or less culturally relevant than high culture.

Hypothetical Scenario for Ethical Consideration:
- Imagine being a parent diagnosed with a terminal illness, lacking financial safety nets.
- With knowledge of chemistry and connections in drug manufacturing, is it ethical to manufacture and sell drugs to provide for your family after your death?

Bennett's View:
- Ethics are essential for human beings due to our freedom, enabling us to make choices beyond animal instincts.
Decision Making in Ethical Contexts:
- The objective is to act in ways that can be justified in arguments to peers, termed as being 'defensible.'

Intuition and Ethics:
- Humans often arrive at ethical decisions through gut reactions or intuitions influenced by experiences, culture, beliefs, and attitudes.
Moral philosophy's Role:
- It seeks to elaborate and analyze these gut reactions and create a more explicit understanding of ethical dilemmas, hence forming a 'moral map' for guidance.
Limitations of Religion-Based Ethics:
- Ethics based on religious beliefs can be divisive and may not hold relevance in modern contexts.

Processes for Creating Ethical Framework:
- Make views explicit through articulation and discussion.
- Reflect on personal principles considering the broader context.
- Address larger ethical premises (Bennett).

Conflicts of Morality:
- Opinions vary widely:
  - Some argue abortion is always wrong.
  - Others claim it is acceptable when a mother’s life is at risk.
  - Some advocate for abortion as a woman’s choice, thus always acceptable.
Context and Circumstances:
- Factors influencing ethical decision-making regarding abortion include:
  - The mother’s health.
  - If the pregnancy resulted from a crime.
  - Expected quality of life for the child.
  - Government policies on population control.
  - The age of the mother.
  - Debates over whether abortion should be permitted independent of circumstances.

The Premise of 'Human Life':
- What do we mean by ‘human life’?
- When does human life begin?
- Is this primarily a question of science, religion, or philosophy?

Ethics Help Us Determine:
- How to live a good life.
- What our rights and responsibilities are.
- The language associated with right and wrong.
- Moral decisions guiding what is considered good and bad.