ETHICS AND ETHICAL SYSTEMS
12 JANUARY
COMP 381
What is ethics?
philosophical study of morality
Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods.
What is ethics?
philosophical study of morality
rules of conduct describing what people in a society should and should not do
Society
Association of people
organized
under a system of rules
designed to advance the good of its members
over time
Rawls, A Theory of Justice
What is the common good? James Moor’s core values
Life, happiness, ability to accomplish goals Declaration of Independence
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness John Finnis’s intrinsic goods
Life, knowledge, play, aesthetic experience, sociability, religion, practical reasonableness
Ethics
What choices that people make are part of ethics?
Must be voluntary Must relate to morality What is the fundamental purpose of any
moral system?To advance the common good
What rules of conduct did you learn growing up?
Ethical Dilemma
Apparent conflict between moral imperatives
New technologies can open up new social problems and new ethical dilemmasExamples?
Can new technologies change morality?
Studying Ethics Three Approaches
Descriptive ethics: what people believe to be right and wrong
Normative ethics: what people should believe is right and wrong
Philosophical ethics (meta-ethics): looks at the logic behind the decisions
Relationship between normative and philosophical ethics?
Examples where descriptive and normative ethics differ?
Theories that we will look at Ethical relativism – very briefly
Individual (or subjective)Cultural
Normative ethical theoriesDeontological (duty-based)
○ Kantianism○ Contractualism
Teleological (result-based)○ Utilitarianism
Hybrid theoriesSocial justiceJust consequentialism
Criteria for Ethical Systems balance of justice and mercy protect individual freedoms and rights
no individual can/should impede or hurt another individual
recognizes unethical laws flexibility dealing with
relativismsocietal balance
Ethical Relativism
Is there anything universally right or wrong?
How is right or wrong decided?
Individual Relativism
Is this the same as tolerance? For
Well-meaning, intelligent people can disagree
AgainstDoes not provide moral distinction.
○ What does morality mean?Not based on reasonPeople are good at rationalization
Cultural Relativism
Consider Hampden-Turner & Trompenaars work For
Different social contextsArrogance to judge
Are there examples when we should impose views on a society?What if people have the right to leave?
AgainstEvolution of practicesSocieties do share core values
Normative Ethical Theories Deontological: based on the sense of
dutyRight because of the act
Teleological: based on the resultRight because of the result
Deontological Theory
What is it?Based on our duties and responsibilitiesActions are fundamentally right or wrong
Classic ExamplesKantianism (Kant)Contractualism (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau)
1588-1679
1724-1804
1712-17881632-1704
Kantianism: Ethics of Duty Duty as freely imposing obligation on
one’s own selfDuty is internalWe impose duty on ourselves
What we SHOULD do, not what we WANT to do
Kant’s Categorical Imperatives
Universality: “Always act in such a way that the maxim of your action can be willed as a universal law of humanity.”
Respect: “Always treat humanity, whether in yourself or in other people, as an end in itself and never as a mere means.”
Are these the same? Which do you prefer?
Strengths of Kantianism
Rational Produces universal moral guidelines Treats all people as moral equals
Criticisms
PracticalActions may need to be characterized by
multiple rules and there is no way to resolve a conflict between rules
Allows no exceptions Philosophical
Moral minimalism: requirements are not heartfelt
Moral alienation: alienated from feelings
Contractualism
Social Contract Theory Morality consists in the set of rules,
governing how people are to treat one another, that rational people will agree to accept, for their mutual benefit, on the condition that others follow those rules as well.
James Rachel, The Elements of Moral Philosophy
Rights and Duties
Duty not to interfere with others rights Negative and positive rights
Negative right: duty is to not interferePositive right: duty is to provide
Absolute and limited rightsTypically, negative rights are absolute and
positive are limited
Strengths of Contractualism Framed in terms of rights Explains acting out of self-interest when
there is no common agreement Provides framework for moral issues
dealing with government (civil disobedience)
Criticism
Doesn’t address actions that can be characterized multiple ways
Doesn’t address conflicting rights
Comparing the Two Theories Both believe that there are universal
moral rules Basis of those moral rules
Kant○ can be universalized○ based on duties
Contract○ would benefit the community○ based on rights
Teleological Theory
What is it?Something is good based on its
consequences Primary example: Utilitarianism
Jeremy Bentham
John Stuart Mill
1748-1832
1806-1873
Utilitarianism
Greatest Happiness Principle Compute the costs and benefits
Simple calculation: do positives outweigh the negatives?
Two formsAct – judge the consequence of a specific
actRule – judge the consequence of the
generalized rule
Strengths
Focus on happiness Down to earth Appeals to many people Comprehensive
Problems of Act that Rule Addresses Too much work to make a decision on
each act Susceptible to happenstance
Criticisms
Ignores our sense of duty Range of effects that one must consider Calculus requires that we balance very
different aspects Unjust distribution of good results
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