Page 1: Introduction to Ethics - Week 1

Page 2: Western Philosophy

Overview of Philosophical Developments

• Presocratics (6th and 5th Century BC)

• Plato and Socrates (Athens 470-399 BC)

• Key Philosophical Questions (Aporias)

Page 3: What is Philosophy?

Definition and Scope

• No single definition; involves delineating concepts.

• Philosophy = Philia + Sophia (Love + Wisdom)

• Emphasis on reason, yet incorporates allegories and myths.

• Five main branches:

  • Metaphysics

  • Epistemology

  • Ethics

  • Logic

  • Aesthetics

Page 4: Metaphysics

Study of Reality

• Examines existence and the nature of being.

• Key questions include:

  • Does God exist?

  • What is human identity?

  • Relationship between mind and body.

  • Concept of free will.

  • Understanding cause and effect.

Page 5: Epistemology

Study of Knowledge

• Investigates the nature and scope of knowledge.

• Key inquiries:

  • What distinguishes knowledge from belief?

  • Can we learn about reality?

  • How is knowledge justified?

Page 6: Ethics

Study of Morality

• Explores concepts of right and wrong; how to live morally.

• Important questions:

  • What constitutes the good?

  • Nature of moral actions and individuals.

  • Objective vs. subjective morality.

  • Moral treatment of others.

Page 7: Logic

Structure of Arguments

• Studies valid reasoning and argumentation.

• Key concepts:

  • Validity vs. soundness

  • Role of premises

  • Conclusion derivation methods.

Page 8: Aesthetics

Study of Art and Beauty

• Examines art's distinction from other activities.

• Key questions:

  • Nature of beauty and the sublime.

  • Objectivity vs. subjectivity of beauty.

  • Historical changes in perceptions of beauty.

Page 9: Plato's Allegory of the Cave

Exploration of Reality and Perception

• Allegory illustrating the effects of education and the lack of it on our nature.

Page 10: The Ring of Gyges

Moral Implications of Power

• Story questioning ethical behavior when one is not held accountable.

Page 11: Philosophical Argument's Structure

Levels of Analysis

1. Definitions

2. Analysis/Explanation

3. Critical Evaluation

Page 12: What is Ethics?

Understanding Morality

• Not merely a list of commandments.

• Understanding deeper moral structures, akin to scientific laws.

Page 13: Ethics vs. Nature

Moral vs. Natural Order

• Ethics requires freedom; nature operates mechanically.

• Morality is tied to human freedom and decision-making.

Page 14: Normative Ethics

Branches of Ethics

• Three subdivisions:

  1. Normative Ethical Theory

  2. Applied Ethics

  3. Metaethics

• Focus on determining morally right actions.

Page 15: Applied Ethics

Practical Ethics

• Application of ethical theories to real-life dilemmas.

• Example: Euthanasia legalization debates.

Page 16: Metaethics

Higher-Level Ethical Reflection

• Reflection on ethical theories and their foundations.

• Meta-questions about the existence and nature of morality.

Page 17: Moral Dilemmas and Moral Disagreement

Intuition and Judgment

• Non-philosophical assumptions of morality.

• Moral propositions and the reliability of moral intuitions.

• Dilemmas provoke reflections on moral judgments.

Page 18: The Dudley & Stephens Case

A Moral Dilemma

• Historical case of survival ethics involving murder for survival.

• Questions moral justifications in dire circumstances.

Page 19: The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

Ethical Dilemma in Crisis

• Dilemma regarding resource allocation for child health vs. family survival.

Page 20: Moral Dilemmas Insights

Analyzing Ethical Decisions

• Dilemmas highlight conflicting moral intuitions.

• Doctrine of double effect and its implications for moral analysis.