Philosophy 2030 Class #8 Tonight (4/30/14): Return Midterm Exam. Congratulations. Good job.

1. Philosophy 2030 Class #8 Tonight (4/30/14): Return Midterm Exam. Congratulations. Good job. “Trying to Love Your Enemies” Movie: High Noon Discuss Chapter 6 – Deontology in relation to the movie Next Week (5/7/14): Final Portfolio Due From your portfolio tell your “best” story to the class (5-10 minutes each) Continue Discussion of Chapter 6.

2. “A pupil from whom nothing is ever demanded which he cannot do, never does all he can.” It is, no doubt, a very laudable effort, in modern teaching, to render as much as possible of what the young are required to learn, easy and interesting to them.  But when this principle is pushed to the length of not requiring them, to learn anything but what has been made easy and interesting, one of the chief objectives of education is sacrificed.”                J. S. Mill, Autobiography

3. So How Then Should I Live? ·    Discuss 2-3 imaginative “moments of your life” (events that will likely happen to you in the future but have not yet). In relation to these events, discuss different points of view on morality that we have discussed in this class. Because of this class, will you evaluate differently what is either 1) the right thing to do or 2) what is necessary for you to do to act with virtue in those moments? For each, write a description of the circumstances that might affect your choices and identify the relevant moral guidelines that you will use. Last Portfolio Assignment

4. Utilitarianism The morality of an act depends on whether it has good consequences. Intentions are irrelevant to whether or not an act is right!

5. Although it appears correct to some degree, utilitarianism has many critics. • It seems not to account for the importance of duties and obligations and intentions. • Consider the case of a man who attempts to shoot his friend out of rage and jealousy and misses and hits instead a sniper who is about to shoot a rifle into a crowded mall. Did this man act morally? If only consequences matter, we would probably have to say that he did.

7. After we watch the movie, we will discuss: What are the Ethical issues or dilemmas? Does Marshal Kane “do the right thing?” Do anyone else “do the right thing?” Why would John Wayne call this movie “un-American?” Should we “do the right thing” in spite of negative consequences?

8. Morality as Doing the Right Thing • Many argue against utilitarianism that what makes an action moral is the intention under which it is done. A moral act is done because it is the right thing to do. • But what is the right thing to do? Such a view can be interpreted many ways and may even appear to beg the question. • Is the right thing to do to follow the “golden rule which is stated quite explicitly by many early Greek philosophers & in the New Testament -- Matthew 7:12: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." This principle exists in all the major religions: Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Jainism, Confucianism, and Taoism.