230 likes | 668 Views
Ethics. Morality Morality in general is concerned with what is “right” and what is “wrong”. How can we know what is “right” and what is “wrong”. Ethics is the study of morality. 1. Facts and values. Relation between facts and values. Moral and aesthetic values.
E N D
Ethics Morality Morality in general is concerned with what is “right” and what is “wrong”. How can we know what is “right” and what is “wrong”. Ethics is the study of morality. TOK-ETHICS
1. Facts and values • Relation between facts and values. • Moral and aesthetic values. • Instrumental and terminal values. TOK-ETHICS
We can judge actions by intentions and consequences. • Acts of commission and acts of omission: • “Turning off a respirator is like turning on the gas chamber.” TOK-ETHICS
2. Freedom • “Freedom is a precondition for a moral assessment of agent.” • B.F. Skinner “Beyond freedom and dignity”. Values of an individual are a product of the evironment he was brought up in. TOK-ETHICS
3. Reason and experience • We expect a degree of consistency in the making of moral judgements. • Can we reason from an “is” to an “ought”? • Head versus heart! • Importance of experience and empathy. 4. Moral problems insoluble and inescapable TOK-ETHICS
Case studies Discuss these subjects from (all) possible moral points of view. Write down your reflexions for further analyses later on. • Abortion and genetic engineering. • Animal rights. • Drugs and smoking. TOK-ETHICS
Where do our values come from? • We may have many sources of our moral values! • The word of a divine Creator, a moral law independant of human beings • An innate conscience • The teachings of our societies • Enlightened self-interest TOK-ETHICS
Moral theories • Utilitarianism • Duty • Virtue • Religious TOK-ETHICS
Guidance by consequences • Utilitarianism - John Stuart Mill. • Goal to minimize harm and maximize benefit to one self and others • Principle of utility • Greatest happiness for the greatest number • Difficulties in practise • The uncertainty of predicting concequences and difficulties of weighting them. • To define key concepts as “justice”. TOK-ETHICS
Guidance by principles / duty • Deontological theories - Immanuel Kant. • Principles of justice. • Duty to do no harm. • Duty to help. • Difficulties in practise • How to rank duties when they contradict. • To define key concepts as “justice”. TOK-ETHICS
Guidance by virtue • Teleological theories - Aristoteles. • The ultimate goal for a living creature is happiness. • By living a virtuous life you will gain happiness • What are” the virtues”? TOK-ETHICS
Guidance by Supreme Being • Obey God. • Treat others as yourself. • Respect God’s creatures. • ? • ? • ? TOK-ETHICS
Objective or subjective • Is there a possibility of moral universals? • Moral relativism! • Should our respect for different cultural traditions overrule our respect for human rights? • Moral education! • Can morality be taught? If the answer is “yes”, then how? • If our moral beliefs are the results of acultural conditioning, why not say the same about our scientific belief? • Are intelligent people more moral than unintelligent people? TOK-ETHICS
Ethics connections to other fields • Science • Art • History • Religion TOK-ETHICS
Science • Can ethics be reduced to a science? • To what extent do our belifs about human nature affect our moral belifs? Consider, for example, Social-Darwinism. • The pursuit of science presupposes various intellectual virtues, such as tolerance and devotion to truth. • What is the moral responsibility of the scientist? Should we pursue the truth at any price? TOK-ETHICS
Art • Should art be morally uplifting, or does it have nothing to do with morality? Can we learn from it? • What is the difference between art and pornography? • Media violence and censorship! TOK-ETHICS
History • Has moral developed from a lower level to a higher level throughout history? • Does history have a direction or purpose? • Does history contain a moral lesson? • Should history as a subject be value-free? • Can history be value-free? TOK-ETHICS
Evolution • Does evolution have: • an aim? • a purpose? • Is moral a part of the evolution? • Has moral developed from a lower level to a higher level throughout history? TOK-ETHICS
Religion • “If God is dead, then everything is permitted” (Dostoyevsky). TOK-ETHICS