Topic 6 - Normative Philosophy (NP)

  • INRODUCTION

  • relating to evaluative standard

    • how we think about ethics and moral philosophy

  • how things should be, how to value, action is right or wrong

    • fundamental : prioritize goals & organizing and planning

    • aims to establish principles and standards that can guide human behavior and judgment

  • our understanding of what is (speculative philosophy) can inform our judgments about what ought to be (normative philosophy), and our ideals about what ought to be can guide our investigation of what is.

  • UTILITARIANISM

  • philosophy of usefulness

  • action is right when it brings great utility/happiness for all concerned & bad if the action’s result don’t bring happiness

  • scholars : Jeremy Bentham,John Stuart Mill

    • Bentham's approach was more scientific and egalitarian - all pleasures counted equally, measure objectively

    • Mill's version was more nuanced and hierarchical, recognizing qualitative differences in pleasure and incorporating broader considerations about human dignity and development.

  • issues : measure of good, moral evaluation

    • felicific calculus (measure happiness/pain factors) - bentham

    • quality of pleasure, individual rights, rule utilitarianism - mill

  • THEOLOGICAL

  • critical reflections based on religious judgement

    • focus on how religious beliefs and divine commands should guide human behavior, moral decisions, and the organization of society.

  • philosophical methods used in develop/ analyze in theological concept

  • types :

    • natural - attempts to understand God and religious truths through reason and observation of the natural world, without relying on divine revelation

      • developing arguments for universal moral principles that can be accepted by both religious and non-religious thinkers.

    • orthodox - maintain that moral principles and ethical guidelines should be derived directly from authoritative religious sources and traditional interpretations

      • preserve and transmit traditional wisdom about moral behavior across generations

    • heterodox - challenge conventional religious understanding of moral principles while still maintaining some connection to religious or spiritual frameworks

      • how religious thinking about ethics can evolve while maintaining connections to spiritual traditions

  • scholars : buddha, socrates, al-ghazali, auguste comte

  • issues : faith & reason , practical application & theological understanding, individual transition is interconnected

  • HEDONISM = pleasure

  • view of life (sees enjoyment & pleasure of senses) as aim and goal of human action

    • philosophical view that places pleasure and happiness at the center of what makes life good or worth living

  • types :

    • ethical - right action is the one that produces the greatest balance of pleasure over pain (basic of NP)

      • egoistic hedonism - each person should pursue their own maximum pleasure

      • utilitarian hedonism - we should act to maximize pleasure and minimize pain for everyone, not just ourselves

    • psychological - all human actions are actually driven by the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain, whether we realize it or not

      • selfless acts are ultimately motivated by the pleasure we derive from them

  • scholars : epicurus, democritus, sir thomas

  • issues : pleasure bring happiness and avoid pain, pursue pleasure rationally & immediate pleasure bring harm , life goal