Ethics and Morality men have no political power.
When you interview
them, the men tell you that they are quite happy
Ethics refers to standards of conduct, with the situation, that public life is for women,
standards that indicate how one should behave and a man’s place is in the home. To what extent
based on moral duties and virtues, which would you accept the situation, and to what extent
themselves are derived from principles of right would try to “re-educate” the men and make them
and wrong. see the extent to which they have been
indoctrinated?
Moral Relativism
Values are determined by the society we
Self Interest Theory
grow up in, and there are no universal values. Human beings are always and everywhere
Moral values are simply customs or conventions selfish. Even if there are objective moral values,
that vary from culture to culture. we are incapable of living up to them.
Definitional Argument –
we are
Moral Consistency selfish when we do what we want to do, and we
always do what we want to do.
To what extend do you think the following
individuals are morally inconsistent?
Evolutionary Argument –
humans
A. An anti-abortionist who supports the death are naturally selfish—programmed (biologically)
penalty. to survive.
B. A vegetarian who buys leather shoes.
C. A socialist who educates his children at a Hidden Benefits Argument –
private school. Selfish benefits to helping others.
D. A politician who advocate family values
and has an affair.
E. An environmental activist who drives an
Fear of Punishing Argument –
What if I get caught? (Ring of Gyges).
SUV.
F. Someone who thinks stealing is wrong but
makes illegal copies of computer software
or music. Theories of Ethics
While it may be that some values are
relative and that people are often selfish, we do
How do I know what to do? not have to conclude that all values are relative or
that people are always selfish. An ethical theory
Can you choose three values which are
that attempts to provide a set of fundamental
universal for all humans? Why do you think so?
moral principles in harmony with our moral
We have clearly made scientific progress intuitions.
over the last three hundred years.
Does it also make sense that we have made
moral progress? Religious Ethics – au authoritative with
rule book to tell us what rules to follow.
A serial killers “bad” or “mad”
Are people basically good, and corrupted
by society, or are people basically bad and must Duty Ethics – Fulfill your obligations.
be kept in line by society? Duties and right are two sides of the same coin.
Imagine that you arrive in a “democratic”
country in which adult women have the vote but
Utilitarianism – there is one and only one 1a. You should respect the highway code,
supreme moral principal—that we should seek the but it is okay to drive through a red light if you are
greatest happiness of the greatest number. late for work.
Maximize happiness. Jeremy Bentham and John 1b. You should respect the highway code,
Stuart Mill (1800). but it is okay to drive through a red light if you are
taking a critically ill person to the hospital.
2a. You should keep your word, but it is
Kant’s Approach to Ethics – Can
okay to break a social engagement if something
your actions be consistently generalized? Ask
more interesting comes up.
yourself “What if everyone did that?” According
to Kant, if something is wrong, it is always 2b. You should keep your word, but it is
wrong! okay to break a social engagement if you have just
contracted an infectious disease.
3a. You should pay your taxes, but it is
Utilitarianism okay not to pay them if you are short of money
We care about morality because we care that year.
about human happiness. 3b. You should pay your taxes, but it is
What do you think is the relationship okay not to pay them if they are being spent on a
between pleasure and happiness? Is happiness just nuclear arms program.
the sum of pleasures, or can you have many 4a. Murder is wrong, but it would have
pleasures and still be unhappy? been okay to assassinate Hitler in 1942.
Are the richest nations of the world home 4b. Murder is wrong, but it would be
to the happiest people in the world? OKAY to kill someone planning terrorist attack.
According to Bertrand Russell (1872-
1970), “To be without some of the things you
want is an indispensable part of happiness.” What Ethical Dilemmas
did he mean? Do you agree?
An elderly woman living alone in poor
circumstances with few friends or relatives is
dying, and you, her friend, are at her bedside. She
Kant’s Approach to Ethics draws your attention to a small case under her bed,
In Kant’s view, happiness does not equal which contains some momentos along with the
morality. Only a good will has ultimate moral money she has managed to save over the years,
value. Moral rules should be universal. despite her apparent poverty. She asks you take
the case and to promise to deliver its contents,
Special Pleading – rationalizing to after she dies, to her nephew living in another
ourselves. state. Moved by her plight and by your affection
for her, you promise to do as she requests. After a
The Golden Rule – treat others the way tearful goodbye, you take the case and leave. A
you wish to be treated. few weeks later the old woman dies, and when
you open the case, you discover that it contains
Veil of Ignorance – imagine the situation $500,000 dollars. No one else knows about the
from both points of views. money, or the promise you mad. You learn that
the nephew is a compulsive gambler and has a
drug addiction.
Which of the following is a special case
that justifies breaking a generally accepted rule?
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral morality are the foundation with independent
thought playing an important role.
Development
Although it has been questioned as to
whether it applied equally to different genders and
different cultures, Kohlberg’s (1973) stages of
moral development is the most widely cited. It
breaks our development of morality into three
levels, each of which is divided further into two
stages:
Pre-conventional Level (up to
age nine): Self Focused Morality
1. Morality is defined as obeying rules and
avoid negative consequences. Children in this
stage see rules set, typically by parents, as
defining moral law.
2. That which satisfies the child’s needs is
seen as god and moral.
Conventional Level (age nine to
adolescence): Other Focused
Morality
3. Children begin to understand what is
expected of them by their parents, teacher, etc.
Morality is seen as achieving these expectations.
4. Fulfilling obligations as well as
following expectations are seen as moral law for
children in this stage.
Post-Conventional Level
(Adulthood): Higher Focused
Morality
5. As adults, we begin to understand that
people have different opinions about morality and
that rules and laws vary from group to group and
culture to culture. Morality is seen as upholding
the values of your group or culture.
6. Understanding your own personal
beliefs allows adults to judge themselves and
others based upon higher levels of morality. In
this stage what is right and wrong based upon the
circumstances surrounding an action. Basics of
