Introduction to Ethical TheoryPhil 240, Week 1, Lecture 3SUM2013, M-F, 10:50-11:50, SAV136INSTRUCTOR: BENJAMIN HOLE

The Immoralist’s Challenge•The main goal yesterday was for you to hone your understanding of the immoralist’s challenge and how it motivates ethical theory. •Hobbes and Hardin•Philosophical Skills•The ideas from Plato’s

Republic will reappear throughout the quarter.

Agenda• Clicker Quiz• Overview of Timmons MPT• “6 essential ethical theories”• Next time: DCT and ER

QUIZPlease set your Turning Technology Clicker to channel 41

Press “Ch”, then “41”, then “Ch”

1. In ethical theory, the terms “right” and “wrong” are used primarily to evaluate the morality of:A.PersonsB.ActionsC.ConsequencesD.DutiesE.Concrete Objects

Persons

Actions

Consequences

Duties

Concrete O

bjects

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2. Necessarily, if something is intrinsically good, then:

A.its value depends on its relationship to something else that is intrinsically good

B.its value depends on features that are inherent to it

C.it is an action that is morally right

D.it is also intrinsically value-neutral

its value depends on

its r...

its value depends on

fea...

it is an action that is m or...

it is also intrinsically valu...

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3. Which of the following is a kind of consequentialist theory that explains right action in terms of the net balance of pleasure (or lack of pain) produced by that action?A.hedonistic utilitarianism

B.perfectionist consequentialism

C.rule consequentialism

D.All the aboveE.by definition, consequentialist theories do not mention pain

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Timmons

•“in arguing for a particular position on the topic of, say, euthanasia, philosophers make their case by applying a moral theory to the practice of euthanasia” (2).

TimmonsTheory

•“The theoretical aim of moral theory is to discover those underlying features of actions, persons, and other items of moral evaluation that make them right or wrong, good or bad and thus explain why such items have the moral properties they have. Features of this sort serve as moral criteria of the right and the good” (3-4).

Practice• “The practical aim of a moral theory is to offer practical guidance for how we might arrive at correct or justified moral verdicts about matters of moral concern – verdicts which we can then use to help guide choice” (4).

Would you turn the trolley?A.YesB.No

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Trolley Problem

The Right (Duty) & The Good (Value)

•“The two main concepts of ethics are those of the right and the good; the concept of a morally worthy person is, I believe, derived from them”

(Rawls, A Theory of Justice, 24).

•“value based moral theories” vs. “duty based moral theories”

Value Base Moral Theory

takes the good as primary (and derives the right from the good).

Duty Based Moral Theory

takes the right as primary (and derives the good from the right).

Principles•“moral principles – very general moral statements that specify the conditions under which an action is right (or wrong) and something is intrinsically good (or bad)” (4).

•Note: “if and only if (and because)”

Overview“Six Essential”

Theories

1. Consequentialism2. Kantian Ethics3. Natural Law

Theory4. Rights Based

Moral Theory5. Virtue Ethics6. Prima Facie

Duties

Ethics by Authoritya) Divine Command

Theoryb) Ethical

Relativism

Preferred ethical theoryA.ConsequentialismB.Kantian EthicsC.Natural Law TheoryD.Rights Based Moral Theory

E.Virtue EthicsF.Prima Facie DutiesG.Divine Command Theory

H.Cultural RelativismConsequentialism

Kantian Ethics

Natural Law Theory

Rights Based M o

ral Theory

Virtue Ethics

Prima Facie Duties

Divine Com mand Theory

Cultural Relativism

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Natural Law Theory•“An action is right if and only if (and because) in performing the action one does not directly violate any of the basic values” (12):

1. Human Life2. Human Procreation (which includes

raising children)3. Human Knowledge4. Human Sociability

Doctrine of Double Effect • “An action that would bring about at least one evil effect and at least one good effect is morally permissible if (and only if) the following conditions are satisfied:

• Intrinsic permissibility: The action in question, apart from its effects, is morally permissible;

• Necessity: It is not possible to bring about the food effect except by performing an action that will bring about the evil effect in question;

• Nonintentionality: The evil effect is not intended – it is neither one’s end now a chosen means for bringing about some intended end;

• Proportionality: The evil that will be brought about by the action is not out of proportion to the good being aimed at.” (13)

Rights Based Moral Theory•“An action is right if and only if (and because) in performing it either (a) one does not violate the fundamental moral rights of others, or (b) in cases where it is not possible to respect all such rights because they are in conflict, one’s action is among the best ways to protect the most important rights in the case at hand” (22).

Prima Facie Duties Confusing Term“A prima facie duty isn’t really a duty, but a rather permanent, very strong reason to do something”*

*Russ Shafer Landau’s gloss from: The Fundamentals of Ethics, 223.

PFDs• Fidelity• Reparations• Gratitude• Justice• Beneficence• Self-

Improvement• Non-Maleficence

Evaluating a TheoryExplanatory Power

“A moral theory should feature principles that explain our more specific considered moral beliefs, this helping us understand why certain actions, persons, and other objects of moral evaluation are right or wrong, good or bad. The better a theory’s principles in providing such explanations, the better the theory.” (29)

Practical Guidance“A moral theory should feature principles that are useful in guiding moral deliberation toward correct or justified moral verdicts about particular issues which we can then use to help guide choice. The better a theory’s principles are in providing practical guidance, the better the theory.” (29)

Which ethical theory has the most explanatory power? A.ConsequentialismB.Kantian EthicsC.Natural Law TheoryD.Rights-Based Theory

E.Virtue Ethical Theory

F.Prima Facie DutiesG.Divine Command Theory

H.Moral Relativism Consequentialism

Kantian Ethics

Natural Law Theory

Rights-Based Theory

Virtue Ethical Theory

Prima Facie Duties

Divine Com mand Theory

M oral Relativism

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Which ethical theory has the most practical guidance? A.ConsequentialismB.Kantian EthicsC.Natural Law TheoryD.Rights-Based Theory

E.Virtue Ethical Theory

F.Prima Facie DutiesG.Divine Command Theory

H.Moral Relativism Consequentialism

Kantian Ethics

Natural Law Theory

Rights-Based Theory

Virtue Ethical Theory

Prima Facie Duties

Divine Com mand Theory

M oral Relativism

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Which ethical theory gives the best rationale for behaving morally, regardless of whether such behavior would benefit you? A.ConsequentialismB.Kantian EthicsC.Natural Law TheoryD.Rights Based Moral Theory

E.Virtue EthicsF.Prima Facie DutiesG.Divine Command Theory

H.Cultural RelativismConsequentialism

Kantian Ethics

Natural Law Theory

Rights Based M o

ral Theory

Virtue Ethics

Prima Facie Duties

Divine Com mand Theory

Cultural Relativism

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