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Ethics Prelim Reviewer
Ethics Prelim Reviewer
1. How one ought to live? − The term “ethics” can be spoken of as the
2. What is moral and what is immoral? discipline of studying and understanding ideal
3. What makes an action moral or human behavior and ideal ways of thinking.
4. immoral? − Thus, ethics is acknowledged as an intellectual
5. What should I do? discipline belonging to philosophy.
6. How should I act? − However, acceptable and unacceptable
7. What am I ought to do? behaviors are also generally described as ethical
and unethical, respectively. In addition, with
regard to the acceptable and unacceptable ways
Branches of Ethics of behaving in a given field, we have the term
“professional ethics”.
1. Normative Ethics - The largest branch, it deals
with how individuals can figure out the correct
Moral and Ethics
moral action that they should take. Philosophers
such as Socrates and John Stuart Mill are − Therefore, various thinkers and writers posit a
included in this branch of ethics. distinction between the terms “moral” and
Moral Subjectivism
Moral Objectivism
− Moral Realism
− Moral judgements can be true or false, and are
made so by objectives features of the world.
• “Only a heterosexual couple should have sexual
intercourse”
• “I should take care of my children”
• “If I lie, it is like saying that everyone shall lie, with
which there would be no sense of truth.
Therefore, I should not lie”
❖ Example:
EUTHYPHRO DILEMMA
RELIGION
− There are, however, serious problems for the
− the service and worship of God or the
theory, Of course, atheists would not accept it,
supernatural
because they do not believe that God exists. But
− commitment or devotion to religious faith or there are difficulties even for believers. The main
observance problem was first noted by Plato, the Greek
− a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to Philosopher who lived 400 years before the birth
with ardor and faith of Jesus.
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary) − Socrates is skeptical and asks Euthyphro: Is
conduct right because the gods command it,
Concepts on Religion and Morality or do the gods command it because it is
right?
The Presumed Connection between Morality
and Religion
“Right conduct is right because God
• When newspapers want comments about the commands it”
ethical dimensions of a story, they call upon the
clergy, and the clergy are happy to oblige. Priests − For example, according to Exodus 20:16, God
and ministers are assumed to be wise commands us to be truthful. On this option, the
counselors who will give sound moral advice reason we should be truthful is simply that God
when it is needed. requires it. Apart from the divine command, truth
telling is neither good nor bad. It is God’s
• Why are clergymen regarded this way? The
command that makes truthfulness right.
reason is not that they have proven to be better
or wiser than other people - as a group, they
❖ Issue:
seem to be neither better nor worse than the rest
✓ It makes God arbitrary. It means God could
of us. There is a deeper reason why they are
have given different commands just as
regarded as having special moral insight.
easily.
Ethnocentrism
o Compare and contrast Ethical Subjectivism and GOOD POINTS OF BAD POINTS OF
Ethical Egoism. SUBJECTIVISM SUBJECTIVISM
o Discuss contentions against Ethical Egoism.
✓ Reflects the ✓ “If I approve of
subjective something, it
Ethical Subjectivism and Ethical Egoism
elements of must be good.”
morality. ✓ Moral statements
Subjectivism ✓ Reflects the seem more than
− The starting point of subjectivism is the evaluative statements about
recognition that the individual thinking person elements of moral feelings.
(the subject) is at the heart of all moral statements. ✓ How can we
valuations. ✓ Shows that moral blame people if
− She is the one who is confronted with the judgements moral truths are
communicate always
situation and is burdened with the need to
dis/approval. subjective?
make a decision or judgment.
✓ May clarify what
− From this point, subjectivism leaps to the
people are
more radical claim that the individual is the
arguing about.
sole determinant of what is morally good or
✓ Reflects the
bad, right or wrong.
persuasive
intentions behind
ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM ethical
discussions.
− The basic thought of Ethical Subjectivism is the
idea that our moral opinions are based on our
feelings and nothing more. On this view, there PSYCHOLOGICAL EGOISM
is no such thing as “objective” right and wrong.
− Subjectivism teaches that there are no objective − “Human beings are naturally self-centered, so
moral truths out there. all our action is always already motivated by self-
o There are no objective moral facts. interest.”
Therefore, “murder is wrong” can't be − This theory that describes the underlying
objectively true. dynamic behind all human actions. As a
− Many forms of subjectivism go a bit further and descriptive theory, it does not direct one to act in
teach that moral statements describe how the any particular way.
speaker feels about a particular ethical issue. − Instead, it points out that there is already an
o Moral statements are just factual statements underlying basis for how one acts.
about the attitude the speaker holds on a − The ego or self has its desires and interest, and
particular issue. all our actions are geared toward satisfying these
o So, if I say "lying is wrong", all I'm doing is interests.
telling you that I disapprove of telling lies.
− Some forms of subjectivism generalize this idea
to come up with: ETHICAL EGOISM
POST-CONVENTIONAL LEVEL
ETHICAL DILLEMA
❖ Example:
The Euthyphro Dilemma
− Socrates is skeptical and asks Euthyphro: Is
conduct right because the gods
command it, or do the gods command it
because it is right?
Societal Dilemmas
❖ Examples: