Is morality a sham?

1. Is morality a sham?

2. What’s the difference? I will eat healthily I should eat healthily Will you be moral? Should you be moral?

3. Why should I be moral? * A Puzzle *

4. Nature: Survival of the fittest • A system of increasing & using one’s advantages • The strong takes advantage of the weak • The smart takes advantage of the dim

5. Puzzling morality Catherine Wilson: Moral obligations “reduce the advantages of those who observe them” Is it rational to reduce one’s advantage???

6. Why should I be moral?

7. Person in need What’s your reason for being moral? VS

8. Why be moral? Rational Benefits outweigh the cost? ME Person in need ME VS

9. Unselfish action Wants to end suffering End suffering! Saves child from drowning Pleasure

11. Should you queue? “You should queue at Macs for the Hello Kitty figure.” “But I don’t want the Hello Kitty figure!” “You should queue regardless of whether you want it.” ???

12. 1. Rationality Principle I should do something only if that serves my interests. Can be direct or indirect

13. 2. Observation about morality Morality does not always serve our interests • Sometimes, we can get away with being immoral • & it is not very hard

14. Observation about morality Morality does not always serve our interests When it fails to do so, why should we be moral?

15. Ted Bundy • Confessed to 30 murders committed between 1974 – 78. • "...a sadistic sociopath who took pleasure from another human's pain and the control he had over his victims, to the point of death, and even after.” The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule

16. ‘Nor is there any "reason" to obey the law for anyone, like myself, who has the boldness and daring -- the strength of character -- to throw off its shackles. ... I discovered that to become truly free, truly unfettered, I had to become truly uninhibited. And I quickly discovered that the greatest obstacle to my freedom, the greatest block and limitation to it, consists in the insupportable "value judgment" that I was bound to respect the rights of others.’ Statement by Ted Bundy, paraphrased and rewritten by Harry V. Jaffa.

17. Why should Ted Bundy lead a moral life? “It is immoral to murder” “But why should I be moral?”

18. How should we respond to Bundy? • Call him names • Evil, terrible, inhuman… • Try to influence him • “You would be moral if you stop murdering…”

19. Ted Bundy • Confessed to 30 murders committed between 1974 – 78. • "...a sadistic sociopath who took pleasure from another human's pain and the control he had over his victims, to the point of death, and even after.” The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule A most reasonable man!?

20. How should we respond to Bundy? • Demand that he stop harming others • “You should not cause others to suffer just for your own pleasure…” • Bundy has the duty to be moral!

21. 3. Moral conviction We should be moral even when we can get away with immorality. Moral obligations do not depend on our interests.

22. Putting them together Rationality Principle Our interests decide what we should do. Moral action doesn’t always get us what we want. Observation About Morality Moral Conviction We should always be moral.

23. Should you be moral? “You should not cheat because it is wrong.” “But I have no interest to be moral!” “You should be moral regardless of your interests.” ???

24. Revised rationality principle? “You should do something only if that serves your interests, unless it harms other people. “You should do something only if that serves your interests, unless it involves Hello Kitty toys.

25. Honesty, trustworthiness, moral courage and loyalty. Being moral = Best way to serve your interests? Being moral strategically = Best way to serve your interests

26. Morality is a sham? “…he would be thought by the lookers-on to be a most wretched idiot, although they would praise him to one another's faces, and keep up appearances with one another from a fear that they too might suffer injustice.” Plato’s Republic

27. Putting them together Rationality Principle Observation About Morality It is a social construct, & a method of social control Moral Conviction