Download Moral judgments must be backed by good reasons.

What are We
Talking About?
What is Morality?
Rachels Chapter 1
Singular Moral
Judgments
vs.
Moral Principles...
The Death of Socrates
Jacques-Louis David
General moral principle…or
not?
Hurting a friend is wrong.
The Bible says that thou shalt not
kill.
Shoplifting might get you into
trouble.
Stealing is ok.
Helping others helps ourselves.
Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you.
Honour thy father and thy mother.
General moral principle…or
not?
Hurting a friend is wrong.
The Bible says that thou shalt not
kill.
Shoplifting might get you into
trouble.
Stealing is ok.
Helping others helps ourselves.
Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you.
Honour thy father and thy mother.
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Conflicting principles...
So, back to our arguments...
Premise 1 states the case (the way the world is)
Premise 2 appends a moral principle
-----------------------------------------The conclusion follows from the interplay
Moral arguments are arguments with a
moral judgment as the conclusion
We describe the case: the way the world
is
We append a moral principle
-----------------------------------------We conclude based on the interplay
1.1 The Problem of Definition
“Moral philosophy is the attempt to
achieve a systematic understanding of the
nature of morality and what it requires of
us…
Socrates: We are discussing no small
matter, but how we ought to live
1.2 Baby
Theresa.....Anencephaly
1.2
Baby Theresa dilemma...
Parental request: allow her organs to be
harvested to benefit other newborns.
Legal resolution: "Florida law does not
allow the removal of organs until the donor
is dead."
Moral arguments are arguments with a
moral judgment as the conclusion
The parents:
 Transplanting Baby Theresa’s organs would
benefit other children without harming her.
 If we can benefit someone, without harming
anyone else, we ought to do so.
------------------------------------- Therefore, we ought to transplant the organs.
Moral arguments are arguments with a
moral judgment as the conclusion
Anonymous ethicists:
 Transplanting Baby Theresa’s organs would be
using her as means for another’s ends.
 It is wrong to use people as means.
------------------------------------- Therefore, we ought not transplant the organs.
Moral arguments are arguments with a
moral judgment as the conclusion
One more argument:
Taking Baby Theresa's organs would be killing
her to save another.
It is wrong to kill one person to save another.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Therefore, we ought not to take her organs for
transplantation.
On the Baby Theresa dilemma...
Dr. Norman Fost, director of the University
of Wisconsin's medical ethics program:
 “The problem is almost entirely one of a slippery
slope...”
 “We have to be careful who we take
organs from, because there are a lot
more than anencephalic infants out there.”
On the Baby Theresa dilemma...
Dr. John Fletcher, director of the University
of Virginia's Center for Biomedical Ethics:
 “There's a refusal to accept the reality of death
at work in this...
 “...and an overvitalistic understanding of
personhood, one dependent on biological
functions."
On the Baby Theresa dilemma...
Dr. John Fletcher, director of the University
of Virginia's Center for Biomedical Ethics:
 “...what makes us human is what goes on
upstairs in the brain, not downstairs in
the brain.”
1.3
Conjoined Twins
• Siamese Twins
•
•
•
•
•
•
Chang and Eng
Born in 1811
Travelled with the circus
Married two sisters
Fathered 21 children
Died in 1874
1:3
Jodie and Mary
Jodie and Mary
• Pro-separation:
Separating the twins will save the one; otherwise
both will die.
When it's a choice between saving one of two
people or letting both die, we should save the one.
---------------------------------------------------------:. The twins should be separated.
Jodie and Mary
Anti-separation:
Mary is an innocent human being and the
separation will kill her.
It's wrong to kill an innocent human being.
------------------------------------------:. The twins shouldn't be separated.
1.4
The Latimer Case
Mercy or Murder?
12 year old Tracy
Latimer, killed by
her father in 1993
Quadriplegic and
severely mentally
disabled, she
functioned at the
level of a threemonth old and was
in constant pain…
1.4 The Latimer
Case
Argument against Latimer’s action:
Killing Tracy was discrimination against the
handicapped.
It is wrong to discriminate against the
handicapped.
-------------------------------------:. Tracy's father did wrong: he shouldn't have
killed her.
1.4 The Latimer
Case
Rachels’ response:
Discrimination against the handicapped?
It’s discrimination only if there is no good reason
for the different treatment....
1.4
The Latimer Case
Euthanizing Tracy was "opening the doors to
other people to decide who should live and who
should die."
It is wrong to do things which would open the
doors...
-----------------------------------------------------:. Euthanizing Tracy was wrong and shouldn't
have been done.
1.5
Reason and Impartiality
1. Moral judgments must be backed by good
reasons.
2. Morality requires the impartial consideration of
each individual’s interests.
1.5
Reason and Impartiality
We describe the case: the way the world is
We append a moral principle
-----------------------------------------We conclude based on the interplay
Impartiality...and emotion...
Impartiality...and emotion...
Impartiality...and emotion...
Impartiality...and emotion...
The morally right thing to do...
is always whatever there are the best
reasons for doing...
Jane Addams,
founder of Hull House
The essence of
immorality is the
tendency to make an
exception of myself.
1.6 The Minimum Conception
of Morality
The effort to guide
one’s conduct by
reason...to do what
there are the best
reasons for doing...
James Rachels
Suicide and Euthanasia
What is the difference?
What good reasons are there in favour?
What good reasons are there against?
http://exitinternational.net/
Ethics in the news:
Globe and Mail
Sept. 28, 2011
Ontario's 'Baby
Joseph' dies at
home after sparking
fierce end-of-life
ethical debate
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