Ridge ethics bowl team introduction

1. Ridge ethics bowl team introduction Introduction to Ethics

2. What Are Ethics? • The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group or culture • Ways of evaluating questions of moral right and wrong; unlike many approaches, the philosophical analysis which we will be employing focuses on WHY something is right or wrong, not just evaluating which one it is

3. Ethics are NOT simply • Feelings: Just because it makes you feel good, doesn’t make it right (serial killers) • Religion: Ethical people do not have to be religious • Following the law: laws can be corrupt, void of moral substance, outdated, or do not sufficiently address the problem • Cultural norms: Consider – Slavery was acceptable in the U.S.

4. How Will We Evaluate Situations? • Ethical Theories: different perspectives on what factors affect ethical decisions • Ridge will use 5 approaches • Kantianism • Consequentialism/Utilitarianism • Virtue Ethics • Feminist Care Ethics • All-Considered

5. Kantianism • The rightness of an action is partially determined by one’s motivation for doing so, and whether or not he/she believes it to be a good choice • A moral decision is a moral decision because the decision itself is moral, not just because it leads to a desirable outcome • Therefore, the most moral decision should always be made, regardless of the costs and benefits of the result • Moral decisions should be made since everyone should make moral decisions; moral rules are universal and apply equally to everyone • People are rational and therefore everyone should be expected to make moral decisions in order to maintain a moral society

6. Kantianism • Categorical Imperative-an action is objectively necessary in-itself; people should act morally for the sake of acting morally • Individuals should always act according to a moral principle which they would desire to be a universal law • The will of every moral (i.e., rational) agent can be conceived as a universal legislature • “Treat others the way you want to be treated”

7. Consequentialism • The consequences of one's conduct are the true basis for any judgment about the morality of that conduct • “The end justifies the means” • Integral to define “end” and “means”

8. Consequentialism • Different desirable ends • Hedonistic Utilitarianism • a good action is one that results in an increase in pleasure, and the best action is one that results in the most pleasure for the greatest number • Eudaimonic Consequentialism • a full, flourishing life, which may or may not be the same as enjoying a great deal of pleasure, is the ultimate goal • Aesthetic Consequentialism: produce beauty

9. Consequentialism • Different methods of means • Agent-Neutral • People making moral decisions value their own well-being equally to that of the well-being of all others • Agent-Centered • People making moral decisions value their own well-being (and that of close friends and family) as of greater importance to the well-being of others • Reconcile these 2! • Optimization, perhaps?

10. Virtue Ethics • Focus more on virtue/moral character rather than duties/rules or consequences • We consider honesty and generosity to be virtues… but there’s a point at which one can be generous or honest “to a fault” • For example, “does my dress make me look fat?” “yes” – results in hurting someone’s feelings. Was this an ethical decision?

11. Eudaimonia • A concept along the lines of happiness, flourishing, well-being • It is not based on hedonistic pleasures, but rather it is a value-centered concept • Virtue ethics leads to the conclusion that by living according to virtue, one becomes truly happy and fulfilled

12. Virtues: Benevolence, accountability, honesty, ambition, chastity, compassion, confidence, courage, cooperation, diligence, courtesy, devotion, empathy, faith, forgiveness, humility, kindness, honor, loyalty, modesty, obedience, patience, persistence, mercy, respect, sobriety, sincerity, trustworthiness Vices: irresponsible, feckless, lazy, inconsiderate, uncooperative, harsh, intolerant, selfish, mercenary, indiscreet, tactless, arrogant, unsympathetic, cold, incautious, pusillanimous, feeble, presumptuous, rude, hypocritical, self-indulgent, materialistic, grasping, short-sighted, vindictive, calculating, ungrateful, grudging, brutal, profligate, disloyal Virtues and vices

13. Some problems with virtue ethics… • Does not produce a clear set or code of principles • How do you teach an unethical person to be virtuous? • What is a virtue? What makes something virtuous? • Different cultures emphasize different virtues (for example, abstinence) • What happens when two virtues come in conflict (such as honesty and compassion)? • Is the generous person in fact being self-serving and selfish because they get satisfaction out of helping people?

14. Feminist Care Ethics • Emphasizes the importance of relationships and making moral decisions based on what is best for the group • The “communal woman” vs. the “autonomous man” • Human relationships are not between equally-informed and equally-powerful persons but between unequal and interdependent persons • Therefore, ethics should be built on a model that fits life as most people experience it on an everyday basis

15. Feminist Care Ethics • All individuals are interdependent for achieving their interests; people thrive in groups, not as individuals • Those particularly vulnerable to our choices and their outcomes deserve extra consideration to be measured according to • the level of their vulnerability to one's choices • the level of their affectedness by one's choices and no one else's • Since the interests of multiple people (those individuals most important to the moral agent) must be considered, decisions are made on a case by case basis

16. All-Considered • Be able to successfully use each ethical approach/perspective individually before employing this • Premise: while each theory holds weight, rarely does a moral agent operate specifically within the realm of one method of reasoning • Various theories can often complement or conflict with each other for a given situation • Evaluate how the different theories can be considered as a group to weigh the myriad of factors affecting a decision • Weigh the costs and benefits to determine what the best moral decision is

17. Important! • An honest person cannot be identified simply as one who, for example, practices honest dealing, and does not cheat. If such actions are done merely because the agent thinks that honesty is the best policy, or because they fear being caught out, rather than through recognising “To do otherwise would be dishonest” as the relevant reason, they are not the actions of an honest person.

18. How to distinguish the theories… • Practice situation: A person by the side of the road is injured. Do you help them? Why?

19. Ethical Decisions • You help the person because as a • Consequentialism – It maximizes well-being, benefits the most people • Kantianism – It follows the moral rule “Do unto others as you would be done by” • Virtue Ethics – You’re being kind, helpful, benevolent, charitable, etc • Feminist – Helps the community by taking care of injured strangers in the area

20. Practice situation #2 • Your friend says, “Hey, let’s have a beer.” • You’re under the drinking age • What does each ethical theorist suggest?

21. Ethical Decisions • Consequentialism– You say no because becoming intoxicated could lead to dangerous situations (ex: medical, sexual, physical) • Kantianism– You say no, because it’s illegal for minors to drink for a reason, and as more people don’t follow the law, even more people will do the same • Virtue Ethics – You say no, because drinking is not conducive to good moral character (not a virtue) • Feminist – It could hurt those close to you, such as parents who might be disappointed

22. Practice situation #3 • Further discussion on… • “Does this dress make me look fat?” • (Yes, it’s an unflattering dress) • What do you say?

23. Ethical decisions • Consequentialism– It will make your friend happy, so you say “no, it doesn’t” (ignorance is bliss?) • Kantianism – Responds honestly because you act as you believe everyone should act. Everyone should be honest • Virtue Ethics – the virtue of honesty prompts you to say yes… but the virtue of compassion and kindness prompts you to say no to avoid hurting your friend’s feelings. • Feminist – Determine how your friend would react, and if she can take constructive criticism, it’s best to tell her the truth to help her, and if she can’t, it’s best to say she looks pretty so she feels good about herself

24. Practice situation #4 • You’re face to face with a man who is “better off dead” (Perhaps he’s a serial killer) • Is it ethical to kill him?

25. Ethical dilemmas… • Utilitarianism – It’s best for society that you stop the man from causing any more pain and suffering by killing him • Kantianism – It’s a bad idea to kill the man because it could create a culture of cheating; you wouldn’t want other people to feel ok with killing too • Virtue Ethics – well… killing is wrong… but it is morally good to help society (dedication to the common good) • Feminist – Um…

26. Resources • http://www.mesacc.edu/~bfvaughan/text/105/notes/deontology/kant.html • http://plato.stanford.edu/contents.html • http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/consequentialism.html • http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/ethicsandvirtue.html • http://www.u.arizona.edu/~jannas/forth/coppvirtue.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics_of_care