Study Notes on Ethical Intuitionism by David McNaughton

Introduction to Ethical Intuitionism

  • Ethical intuitionism flourished between the world wars.

  • Key proponents: H.A. Prichard and W.D. Ross.

  • Key issues of debate:

    • Distinction from competitors (mainly utilitarianism) was not based on epistemology.

    • Central question: Are there multiple fundamental moral principles?

Utilitarian Tradition

  • Articulated as having a singular moral principle: the duty of beneficence.

  • G.E. Moore's contributions:

    • Developed utilitarianism into consequentialism.

    • Advocated a pluralist account of the good.

  • In consequentialism, the primary criterion for right action is:

    • Which action produces the most good?

Ethical Intuitionism's Rejection of Utilitarianism

  • Intuitionism argues against the idea of a single duty.

  • Asserts the existence of multiple distinct, irreducible moral principles:

    • All are relevant when determining the rightness of actions.

  • Agreement between intuitionism and utilitarianism: Both theories rely on intuition as a basis for ethical principles.

    • Principles must be self-evident.

Common Critiques of Intuitionism

  • Two primary criticisms addressed in McNaughton's paper:

    1. Unsystematic Nature:

    • Intuitionism is seen as providing a "heap of unconnected duties".

    • Example: D.D. Raphael describes it as not fulfilling philosophical coherence requirements.

    1. Lack of Guidance:

    • Intuitionism supposedly does not assist agents in resolving conflicts between duties due to no ranking of importance.

Responses to Critiques

  1. Against Unsystematic Nature:

    • McNaughton emphasizes that Ross seeks to derive everyday moral precepts from a small number of self-evident duties.

    • Ross categorizes prima facie duties and attempts to provide a systematic analysis of them.

    • Although not overtly stated by Ross, this structure is implicit in his arguments.

    • Ross categorizes duties based on moral significance and there is a systematic attempt at justification.

  2. Ranking of Duties:

    • Ross asserts that some duties are indeed more stringent than others.

    • While his argument requires careful reading, he provides circumstances where the stringency relates to duty types.

  • McNaughton argues Ross's theory does make common-sense intuitions coherent.

The List of Prima Facie Duties by Ross

Categorization of Duties

  1. Duties Related to Previous Acts of Self:

    • Fidelity: Based on promises made.

    • Reparation: Duty to make amends for wrongdoings.

  2. Duties Related to Acts of Others:

    • Gratitude: Obligation to repay those who have helped us.

  3. Duties of Justice:

    • Obligation to correct imbalances in distribution of benefits and burdens based on merit.

  4. Duties of Beneficence:

    • Duties based on the ability to improve the welfare of others.

  5. Duties of Self-improvement:

    • Includes obligations based on improving oneself.

  6. Duties of Non-maleficence:

    • The duty not to cause harm to others.

Characteristics of Duties

  • Ross notes that duties are fundamentally related to moral principles.

  • Duties are categorized based on their relational characteristics rather than being independent entities.

  • A duty's weight can change based on context and seriousness.

Derivation of Duties

  • Derivative duties arise when more fundamental duties combine in complex situations.

  • Examples:

    • Duty to obey laws combines from gratitude, fidelity, and beneficence.

    • Duty not to lie combines with non-maleficence and fidelity.

  • Special circumstances can weaken the binding nature of these duties, indicating a flexible interpretation:

    • For instance, under bad governance, beneficence doesn’t hold weight.

Implications on Moral Responsibilities

  1. Condition of Truthfulness in Communication:

    • Lies can be mitigated based on context, such as games where lying is implicit.

  2. Responsibility to Reform Duties:

    • Duties aren’t absolute but subject to ethical scrutiny based on context.

  3. Dynamic Nature of Ethical Considerations:

    • Lying and duty to obey laws have intertwined dependencies that depend on varied situational factors.

Complexity in Making Moral Judgments

  • Ross allows that moral judgments must sometimes balance the weight of different duties distinctly.

  • No absolute general rule exists for resolving conflicts; we must perceive the specifics of each case.

  • For instance, while non-maleficence generally may outweigh beneficence, in very specific cases, beneficence may take precedence if it significantly outweighs the negatives of non-maleficence.

The Nature of Moral Theory

  • Ross's approach confirms there’s no definitive moral theory capable of resolving every dilemma.

  • He distinguishes his approach from traditional moral theories by asserting the necessity of contextual moral judgment.

  • Raises the argument that a complete moral theory should guide understanding rather than provide absolute answers.

Conclusion

  • McNaughton supports the view that intuitionism, rather than being disjointed, is aligned with a coherent moral framework based on individual moral principles and applicable context.

  • It fosters deep scrutiny of morality that resists oversimplification prevalent in rival theories such as typical utilitarianism.

  • Reforming moral theories also resonates with moral diversity and the ever-evolving nature of ethical understanding.