Ethics in a nutshell

Prepared by: Ma. Hazel B. Forastero Grade 10 Class

Prepared by: MA. HAZEL B. FORASTEROfor the GRADE 10 Class

Manila Science High School S.Y.2015-2016 As discussed by Matt Deaton, Ph.D.

ETHICS IN A NUTSHELL


What is Ethics?


Ethics- is the reason-guided study of what we morally ought to do.-its ultimate grounding for philosophers’ conclusions is reason itself, as oppose to constituent preferences, company policy, or legal precedent.- philosophers us reason to form “arguments” which are composed of a series of claims, called premises, intended to logically support another claim, called the conclusion.


-Philosophers construct, share, evaluate and revise these arguments in a collective effort to figure out what makes the most sense.-makes you think through moral and political issues rom a philosophical perspective that facilitates conversation with virtually anyone (amongst persons from a variety of backgrounds, committed to a variety o religious and areligious perspectives)


-philosophical ethics utilizes considerations almost everyone recognizes as morally relevant, and the fact that philosophers judge reasons and arguments based on their logical force.


Why Ethics Isn’t Ice Cream?


Philosophers vs ScientistsScientists- use reasonconcern themselves with empirical questions bout physical things and enjoy th luxury o producing testable data-uses measure or measuring devicesPhilosophers –use reason in a similar way-concern themselves with non-empirical questions or which conclusive evidence is almost impossible to pin down-no “goodometer” or “moralscope”


Does this mean there’s no such thing s moral right and wrong?

Does it men ethics, morality-what we ought to do-is all just a matter of personal opinion?


NEGATIVE ARGUMENT-refutes a line of reasoning or a conclusion, rather than providing reason to believe a conclusion-some people hastily conclude that since ethical questions can’t be empirically proven one way or the other, and since there seems to be much disagreement over whether certain actions are morally permissible, ethics must b a subjective matter-something that pends on an individual’s personal perspective, similar to which flavor of ice cream is most delicious.-moral objectivism


Philosophers reject the idea that ethics is similarly subjective or to main reasons.1. A question can’t be empirically prove doesn’t mean it doesn’t have an objective answer.E.g. Intelligent life exists beyond Earth.2. Similarly, the fact that we can’t conclusively settle disagreement over ethical matters doesn’t mean they are a matter of subjective opinion either.E.g. recognizing a disagreement and the inability to confirm which is correct is very different from concluding that the object o this inquiry is itself a matt of personal opinion.


POSITIVE ARGUMENT-concerns the ridiculous consequences of believing that ethical arguments are not mere matters of believing otherwise.-morally subjective-downside: it means that you cannot criticize another’s ethical views, no matter how repugnant.E.g. Johnny believes torturing babies or un is morally permissible, torturing babies or fun really is morlly permissible, at lest or Johnny.*

(only used abhorrent example to make this point as vivid as possible)


Two strong arguments in favor of moral subjectivism:1. the fact that we can’t conclusively settle disagreement over ethical questions the way we conclusively settle another premise (e.g.weather) doesn’t mean ethics is matter of personal opinion.2. moral subjectivism entails the absurd implication that whatever any person happens to believe is ethical is in fact ethical…for them-examples of which conflict with our fundamental understanding o right and wrong.

Just because cultures disagree over ethical matters doesn’t mean ethics is

aa matter of opinion. And because a culture sincerely believes an action is ethically permissible, impermissible,

forbidden or obligatory doesn’t necessarily make it so.

Prepared by: Ma. Hazel B. Forastero Grade 10 EsP Class

Ethics in a nutshell

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