REA&SON
IMPARTIALITY
As Requirements for Ethics
MODULE 10
REASON
Humans have not only feelings but also
reason, and reason plays a vital role in
ethics. In fact, moral truths are truths of
reason; that is, a moral judgement is true if
it is espoused by better reasons than the
alternatives.
WHAT IS REASON?
REASON is the ability of the mind to think, understand, and form judgments
based on logic and information we have.
It is an innate and exclusive human ability that utilizes new or existing
information as bases to consciously make sense out of thing while applying logic.
Reason and experience are required for determining the likely effects of a given
motive or character trait; reason does play an important role in moral judgment.
According to De Guzman et al. (2017), reason spells the difference of
moral judgments from the mere expressions of personal preference.
MORAL JUDGMENT PERSONAL PREFERENCES
It is typically based on principles of right and wrong,
It is based on individual tastes, desires, or inclinations.
often grounded in ethical theories or societal norms.
They relate to what an individual likes or dislikes
They involve considerations of fairness, justice, and the
without necessarily involving moral principles.
welfare of others.
It is typically accompanied by reasoned justifications It may not require elaborate reasoning or justification
grounded in ethical principles, moral frameworks, or beyond individual tastes or desires. While preferences
philosophical reasoning. They often involve can be explained, they are not necessarily based on
considerations of consequences, intentions, and duties. moral reasoning or broader ethical principles.
In the case of moral judgments, they require backing by reasons. In the
absence of sensible rationale, they are merely capricious and ignorable.
Moral deliberation is a matter of weighing reasons and being guided by them.
In understanding the nature of morality, considering reasons is indispensable. Truth in
Ethics entails being justified by good reasons. That is, the rightful moral decision
involves selecting the option that has the power of reason on its side.
Reason commends what it commends, regardless of our feelings, attitudes,
opinions, and desires.
Being defined by good reasons, moral truths are objectives in the sense that
they true no matter what we might want or think. We cannot make an act
moral or immoral just by wishing it to be so, because we cannot merely that
the weight of reason be on its side or against it.
According to De Guzman et al. (2017), In focusing on attitudes and feelings,
both Emotivism and Subjectivism fail to accomplish this important thing.
EMOTIVISM SUBJECTIVISM
It is the view that moral judgments do not It is the view that there are no moral
function as statements of fact BUT absolutes, and that instead each
rather as expressions of the speaker’s or individual and each society determines
writer’s feelings what is acceptable
IMPARTIALITY
Also called Evenhandedness or Fair-
mindedness.
It is a principle of justice holding that
decisions ought to be based on objective
criteria, rather than on the basis of bias,
prejudice, or preferring the benefit to
one person over another for improper
reasons.
Impartiality in morality requires that we give equal and/or
adequate consideration to the interests of all concerned parties.
The principles of impartiality assumes that every person,
generally speaking, is equally important; that is, no one is seen
as intrinsically more significant than anyone else. Other
ethicists however, suggest that some clarifications is required.
WHY ARE REASON AND IMPARTIALITY THE MINIMUM
REQUIREMENTS FOR MORALITY?
REASON IMPARTIALITY
a sufficient ground of explanation or of a quality of not being biased in one
logical defense direction or another.
a statement or fact that explains why principle of justice holding that decisions
something is the way it is, why should be based on objective criteria,
someone does, thinks, or says rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice,
something, or why someone behaves a or preferring the benefit to one person
certain way. over another for improper reasons.
7 STEPS OF MORAL
REASONING
GATHER THE FACTS
DETERMINE THE ETHICAL ISSUES
IDENTIFY THE PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE
BEARING ON THE CASE
LIST THE ALTERNATIVES
COMPARE THE ALTERNATIVES WITH
PRINCIPLES
WEIGH THE CONSEQUENCES
MAKE A DECISION
What is the role of reason in
ethical decision-making?
Do you consider yourself biased or
impartial in terms of your opinions
and perspectives on the situation?
