Basic Moral PerspectivesSix basic “takes” on the criteria ofright and wrong

Chapter 12 ,Part 2

We’ve seen there is room forreasoning about moralquestions>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

2© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Is an individual applying a generalprinciple to a specific case?

If so, what is it? Is it reasonable? Is the argument valid? Is he/she treating similar cases in a

similar way? If apparently not, the burden is on

him/her to explain how they aredifferent.

3© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

This brings us to the most basic of allmoral principles.

“Basic Moral Perspectives”

4© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Perspective # 1

“Moral relativism”

What makes something right orwrong is what one’s society thinks.Example: Does your society thinkextra-marital sex is wrong? Then it ISwrong for you to have extra-marital sex.

5© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Problems!

1. What counts as a society???

© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 6

2. Even within a society thereusually are conflicting viewsabout what is right or wrong.

e.g., conflicting views withinAmerican society about gaymarriage.

7© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Then, as an American, I think it isWRONG for you to kill Americans. Butas a Relativist, I think it is RIGHT foryou to kill Americans.

3. Suppose your society thinks itis o.k. to kill Americans.

Moral Relativism seems to put me in acontradictory position!

8© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Perspective # 2

“Religious Relativism”

What makes something right or wrong iswhat one’s religion thinks.

Example: Does your religion thinkpre-marital sex is wrong? Then it ISwrong for people in your religion.

9© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Similar problems as withPerspective # 1

1. What counts as a religion?Are Catholics and Protestantsone religion or two? Are you stilla Christian if you haven’t gone tochurch in umpteen years, etc.

10© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

2. Even within a religion thereusually are conflicting viewsabout what is right or wrong.

e.g., conflicts within the UnitedChurch of Christ about gaymarriage.

11© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

3. As a Catholic (say), I believeAllah is a false God and shouldnot be worshipped, period.

But as a religious relativist, Ibelieve Muslims should worshipAllah.

12© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Perspective # 3

“Religious Absolutism”(Divine Command Ethics)

What makes something right or wrong iswhat “the correct” religion thinks.Example: Does the correct religion thinkpre-marital sex is wrong? Then it ISwrong, period. For everyone.

13© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Main problem:

Which religion is “correct”?

14© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Perspective # 4

“Consequentialism”

What makes an act right or wrong is itsoutcome.

Always act so as to maximize happiness!(Known as “Utilitarianism.”)

15© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Problem:

It seems some actions are wrongregardless of their outcomes.

For example, wouldn’t slavery bewrong even if the sum-total ofhappiness in the world would begreater with slavery?

16© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Perspective # 5

“Deontological Ethics”

Right/wrong are intrinsic properties ofan act.Example: It is wrong for anyoneanywhere to break a promise.

17© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Problem:

How do you KNOW which acts areintrinsically good or right?One answer: Those acts in whichyou treat others as ends, not asmeans.

18© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Perspective # 6

“Virtue Ethics”

VE identifies the characteristics of theethically best life.Then it says that one should developthose traits (“virtues”) that best enableone to lead such a life.

19© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

For example, the ethically best lifewould involve being honest withothers, lending a helping hand, andso forth.

20© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Problem:

What is the “ethically best life”?

We can’t say, unless we knowwhat the purpose of life is.

But who is to say what that is?

And perhaps there is no “purpose”of life to begin with.

21© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Review: Six Ethical Perspectives:

Moral Relativism

Religious Relativism

Religious Absolutism

Consequentialism (Utilitarianism is themost famous version)

Deontological Ethics

Virtue Ethics

22© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Exercise!

23© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Yes, many innocent civilians have beenkilled in Iraq. But in the long run, the worldwill be a better place if Iraq is a freecountry.”

What perspective does this reflect?A. ConsequentialismB. Moral relativismC.Deontological ethics

24© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Sure, we might benefit from expandingHighway 99. But it’s wrong to seizesomeone’s property. The right to yourproperty is the most basic right of all!”

What perspective does this reflect?A. ConsequentialismB. Moral relativismC.Deontological ethics

25© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Sure, we might benefit from expandingHighway 99. But it’s wrong to seizesomeone’s property, at least in this country.In our society, property rights arefundamental.

What perspective does this reflect?A. ConsequentialismB. Moral relativismC.Deontological ethicsD.None of the above

26© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Sure, we might benefit from expandingHighway 99. But it’s wrong to seizesomeone’s property! You have a God-givenright to own property.”

What perspective does this reflect?A. ConsequentialismB. Moral relativismC.Deontological ethicsD.None of the above

27© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“If a company doesn’t want to hire a woman,nobody should force it to.A company has a right to hire whomeverthey want!”

What perspective does this reflect?A. ConsequentialismB. Moral relativismC.Deontological ethicsD.None of the above

28© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“You have to balance a person’s rightsagainst the common good. Pornographyisn’t good for a society, and we should getrid of it.”

What perspective does this reflect?A. ConsequentialismB. Moral relativismC.Deontological ethicsD.None of the above

29© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Gay marriage? I think it is only fair! Theright to happiness is a basic human right.”

What perspective does this reflect?A. ConsequentialismB. Moral relativismC.Deontological ethicsD.None of the above

30© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Gay marriage? I am against it. Oncegays start marrying, next thing brothersand sisters will get married. Then momsand sons. Society will come apart at theseams.

What perspective does this reflect?A. ConsequentialismB. Moral relativismC.Deontological ethicsD.None of the above

31© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Overall summary:

Value judgment/moral v.j. Moral principle Two principles of moral reasoning Moral relativism Religious relativism Religious absolutism Consequentialism Deontological ethics Virtue ethics

32© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.