Understanding Basic Ethical Concepts (copy)

Understanding Basic Ethical Concepts

Lesson 1

Discussion Lesson 1: The Realm of Morality: Ethics and Mores

  • Ethics and Mores: Examine the role of society and the individual in the emergence of mores

  • Explore the connection between freedom and morality

  • Identify necessary conditions for morality, specifically freedom and obligation

Key Questions

  1. How does one develop the notion of ‘what is the right thing to do’ in society?

  2. Is there a connection between your choices as an individual and that of your society?

  3. Do the mores of your society play a significant role in your notion of “good/bad” or “right/wrong”?

  4. Do I exercise my freedom when I am making choices?

Ethics

  • Definition: Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with the systematic questioning and critical examination of the underlying principles of morality.

  • Origin: The term originates from the root word 'ethos,' which refers to the character of a culture.

  • Character of Ethos: Ethos encompasses the attitudes of approval or disapproval prevalent in a specific culture at a particular time and place.

  • Subject Matter: The core subject studied in ethics is morality.

Morality

  • Definition: Morality is derived from the root word 'mores.'

  • Concept of Mores: Mores consist of customs and the customary behaviors of a particular group, forming the core of the group’s attitudes and beliefs.

  • Connection Between Mores and Ethos: Both mores in Latin and ethos in Greek refer to customary behavior integral to a culture.

Approaches to Ethics

  • Ethics is traditionally associated with two general approaches:

    • Normative Ethics

    • Meta-ethics

Normative Ethics

  • Purpose: Normative ethics seeks to answer the question, “What is good?”

  • Focus: It pertains to establishing certain norms or standards for judging goodness and badness, rightness and wrongness of actions.

Meta-ethics

  • Purpose: Meta-ethics goes beyond normative ethics by questioning the foundational assumptions and meanings of the concepts and principles it established.

  • Function: This approach examines the presuppositions, meanings, and justifications of ethical concepts, aiding in our study of ethics.

The Role of Society and the Individual in the Emergence of Mores

  • William Graham Sumner: A renowned sociologist and anthropologist whose work entitled “Folkways” posits that the notion of what is ‘right’ derives from man’s basic instinct to survive.

  • Concept of Folkways: Sumner introduces the concept of 'folkways,' which captures the notions of 'right' and 'true.'

Folkways

  • Folkways are predominantly formed unconsciously.

  • They may arise from false inferences, portraying a form of pseudo-knowledge.

  • Some folkways can also be harmful.

From Folkways to Mores

  • Transition: From folkways, mores emerge, incorporating societal welfare.

  • Societal Preservation: Individuals must defend and maintain accepted norms and practices, creating habits that uphold the notion of what is right.

Defense of Practices

  • Individual Habits: Individuals develop habits to support the principles they hold as right.

  • Societal Structures: Society establishes social rules and sanctions (implicit or explicit) to control individual behavior and maintain order.

Laws and Mores

  • Relationship: Laws and acts of legislation originate from mores, acting as directive forces reinforced by folkways and driven by humanity's instinct to survive.

Lesson 2

Discussion Lesson 2: Values and Choices

  • Only humans are moral; conduct and behavior implications.

  • Examination of value experiences, differentiating values from moral values.

  • Understanding moral judgment and decision-making in ethical dilemmas.

  • Distinction between intellectual choice and practical choice.

Key Questions

  1. Can animals like dogs or cats be moral? Why or why not?

  2. At what point does a value transform into a moral value? Is money a value? Can money become a moral value? Why or why not?

  3. Why do we easily render moral judgments on others?

  4. Is my practical choice always in agreement with my intellectual choice? Why or why not?

Freedom & Being a Free Moral Agent

  • Definition: Freedom implies that one acts as a free moral agent.

  • Necessary Conditions for Morality: According to John Mothershead, two conditions must be present: freedom and obligation.

Freedom

  • Concept: Freedom involves making choices and assumes that the individual is fully responsible for planning their life, thereby budgeting actions for future goals.

  • Moral Responsibility: This aligns with the individual's moral and rational capability to discern right from wrong.

Obligation

  • Definition: Obligation is viewed as a duty to oneself to exercise this freedom rationally and morally.

  • Future Planning: It is an obligation to budget and plan for a better future, which is yet to be realized.

Conduct

  • Definition: Conduct refers to deliberate human action, encapsulating one's way of behaving.

Ethical Decision-Making

  • One can opt to embrace inherited moral beliefs without critical analysis.

  • This approach compromises individual freedom, as unquestioned beliefs cannot be considered genuinely one's own.

The Importance of Critical Examination

  • As stated by Lewis Vaughn (2016), one only truly owns beliefs that have been critically examined.

  • Concept of Freedom-Responsibility: Emphasized by Kant, freedom is key to moral responsibility.

Kant's Perspective on Freedom

  • First: Freedom is necessary for moral responsibility.

  • Second: Moral law must determine the will immediately for moral worth.

  • Third: Freedom establishes a unique dignity that morality requires us to respect.

Value Experience, Values, and Moral Values

  1. Value Experience: This entails taking a standpoint during experience, indicating preferences.

  2. Valuation Process: This occurs as choices are made, revealing which priorities individuals wish to pursue.

  3. Transformation to Moral Value: Mothershead suggests that a value transitions into a moral value when it becomes an unlimited priority in life's relevance.

Concept of Moral Value

  • A moral value demands that an individual be willing to prioritize it above other values.

  • Example: Valuing chastity as a teenager exemplifies a moral value when one chooses to uphold it over romantic advances.

Money and Moral Value

  • Money may evolve into a moral value for some individuals.

  • Negative Portrayal: Those who prioritize money over relationships may face negative labels due to this valuation hierarchy.

  • Other values, such as beauty, can also take precedence when willing to sacrifice for beauty-related costs.

Examining Moral Choice

  • Intellectual vs. Practical Choice:

    • The question "What ought I to do?" focuses on rational analysis of situations, leading to intellectual choices.

    • Conversely, "What would I be inclined to do?" relates to practical choices in real situations, often differing from normative answers in hypothetical scenarios.

Moral Decision and Moral Judgment

  • Moral Decision: The most critical class of moral judgments that references one’s own future actions.

  • Moral Judgment: References others or groups about what they ought to do.

Animals and Pre-Reflective Morality

  • Concept: Animals exhibit pre-reflective morality, lacking the capacity for deep reflection, deliberation, and critical thinking found in humans.

  • According to Mothershead, only humans possess the capability for deliberate action, differentiating human morality.

Conclusion

  • Unique Capacity: Emphasized that human beings are unique moral agents due to their capacity for reflection and ethical reasoning.

  • Critical Thinking and Courage: Essential qualities for ethical behavior include harnessing emotions, distancing from majority opinion, and considering the bigger picture in decision-making.