Download Ethics

Ethics
Morality
Morality in general is concerned
with what is “right” and what is
“wrong”.
How can we know what is “right”
and what is “wrong”.
Ethics is the study of morality.
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1. Facts and values
Relation between facts and values.
Moral and aesthetic values.
Instrumental and terminal values.
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We can judge actions by intentions and
consequences.
Acts of commission and acts of omission:
“Turning off a respirator is like turning on the
gas chamber.”
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2. Freedom
“Freedom is a precondition for a moral
assessment of agent.”
B.F. Skinner “Beyond freedom and
dignity”. Values of an individual are a
product of the evironment he was brought
up in.
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3. Reason and experience
We expect a degree of consistency in the
making of moral judgements.
Can we reason from an “is” to an “ought”?
Head versus heart!
Importance of experience and empathy.
4. Moral problems insoluble and
inescapable
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Case studies
Discuss these subjects from (all) possible
moral points of view.
Write down your reflexions for further
analyses later on.
Abortion and genetic engineering.
Animal rights.
Drugs and smoking.
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Where do our values come from?
We may have many sources of our moral
values!
The word of a divine Creator, a moral law
independant of human beings
An innate conscience
The teachings of our societies
Enlightened self-interest
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Moral theories
Utilitarianism
Duty
Virtue
Religious
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Guidance by consequences
Utilitarianism - John Stuart Mill.
Goal to minimize harm and maximize benefit to one
self and others
Principle of utility
Greatest happiness for the greatest number
Difficulties in practise
The uncertainty of predicting concequences and
difficulties of weighting them.
To define key concepts as “justice”.
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Guidance by principles / duty
Deontological theories - Immanuel Kant.
Principles of justice.
Duty to do no harm.
Duty to help.
Difficulties in practise
How to rank duties when they contradict.
To define key concepts as “justice”.
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Guidance by virtue
Teleological theories - Aristoteles.
The ultimate goal for a living creature is
happiness.
By living a virtuous life you will gain
happiness
What are” the virtues”?
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Guidance by Supreme Being
Obey God.
Treat others as yourself.
Respect God’s creatures.
?
?
?
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Objective or subjective
 Is there a possibility of moral universals?
 Moral relativism!
Should our respect for different cultural traditions
overrule our respect for human rights?
 Moral education!
Can morality be taught? If the answer is “yes”, then how?
If our moral beliefs are the results of a cultural
conditioning, why not say the same about our
scientific belief?
Are intelligent people more moral than unintelligent
people?
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Ethics connections to other fields
Science
Art
History
Religion
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Science
Can ethics be reduced to a science?
To what extent do our belifs about human nature
affect our moral belifs? Consider, for example,
Social-Darwinism.
The pursuit of science presupposes various
intellectual virtues, such as tolerance and
devotion to truth.
What is the moral responsibility of the scientist?
Should we pursue the truth at any price?
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Art
Should art be morally uplifting, or does it
have nothing to do with morality? Can we
learn from it?
What is the difference between art and
pornography?
Media violence and censorship!
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History
Has moral developed from a lower level to
a higher level throughout history?
Does history have a direction or purpose?
Does history contain a moral lesson?
Should history as a subject be value-free?
Can history be value-free?
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Evolution
Does evolution have:
an aim?
a purpose?
Is moral a part of the evolution?
Has moral developed from a lower level to a
higher level throughout history?
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Religion
“If God is dead, then everything is
permitted” (Dostoyevsky).
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