chapter 4 professional ethics ppt
TRANSCRIPT
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Chapter 4Moral Reasons and Explanations
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Reasons and Explanations: An
Overview One of the necessary steps in
argumentation and defending your
position, is the development of moralreasons and explanations.
When we make or defend a decision or
judge a decision we give reasons. Whenwe choose a course of action we offer anexplanation.
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Important Points
Not all reasons and explanations arestrong
Not all reasons and explanations aremoral
THERE ARE WEAK AND NON-MORAL
REASONS AND EXPLANATIONS!
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Reasons
A reason is given in order explain something,how something came to be or came to happen.
Reasons:
1. Describe a cause2. Refer to a motivation
3. Are hypothetical explainers
4. Are stated independently of the actions or decisions
they explain5. Not necessarily tied to anything being explained
6. Are transferable
7. Can be used in various contexts
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When a reason is used to explain aparticular decision/action, it becomes an
explanation. An explanation occurs when a reason or
many reasons are used to explain
something; its the sum of all reasonsoffered for a decision.
Explanations
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Key Words to Guide You
Key words identifying an explanation:since, because, for, etc. precedes a reason
and the decision may be preceded by thus,therefore, hence.
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Moral Reasons
A moral reason must satisfy certain criteria.
A moral reason:
Is universalizable and not contingent Is thoughtful and reflective not based on natural
instincts, gut feelings, outside pressures, or thedesires of authority figures
Expresses concern for others
not selfishness
Expresses a moral value not an economic, legal orsocial value
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A reason must meet four criteria in
order to count as a moral reason1. A moral reason is universalizable in that it
is not unique to a particular person or
applicable to only one situation. It can begenerally applied and sets a policy forpersons in similar situations.
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2. A moral reason must be the productof ones own thinking, revealingthoughtful, reflective views not
entirely influenced by others,instincts, or feelings. Giving a moralreason requires making a
commitment deciding whether theopinions of others should count andhow much.
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3. In showing concern for others a
moral reason must not be selfish orbased on self-interest alone.
4. A moral reason identifies somethingas morally valuable points to a
moral values such as respect forpersons.
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Moral Explanations
A collection of moral reasons offered indefense of a decision is a moral
explanation. Moral explanations can include non-moral
as well as moral reasons. If some or at
least one of the reasons is moral then wehave a moral explanation.
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Give me an example of a reason.
Give me an example of a moral reason.
Give me an example of an explanation.
Give me an example of a moralexplanation.
Exercise
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Moral Dilemmas
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In deciding which action to perform and whichdecision to make, we may be confronted with
reasons the lead to incompatible choices dilemma. Decision-making requires us to resolveand avoid dilemmas.
Dilemma broadly understood, is any perplexingsituation or problem; a situation in which aperson has to choose between two equally
balanced alternatives. A person is faced with two(or more) assumptions or beliefs or reasons foraction.
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Moral dilemmas
Moral dilemmas are more difficult to dealwith than other types of dilemmas two
alternatives are at stake, backed up bymoral reasons.
Moral dilemmas force moral decision
makers to choose between incompatiblealternatives and, in doing so, to choosebetween moral explanations.
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Example
Position: We should use stem cell research because it can benefitpeople by preventing disease and advancing our scientificknowledge.
But there exists a dilemma: helping people by eliminatingor preventing disease is the right thing to do vs. we should
not use stem cell research because it destroys human life (destroying human life is wrong). This is an example of amoral dilemma.
Sometimes there is a third alternative that is supported byboth moral explanations e.g., doing adult stem cellresearch instead of embryonic stem cell research, since itpreserves human life and helps people by eliminatingdisease. However, many would argue that this thirdalternative forces us closer to one side than the other.
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Cases to Consider
Look at Cases 1 and 3 in your text book (pp. 108-109)When answering the following questions, give moraland non-moral reasons and explanations in support ofyour position. Write down your position (what youwould do) and your reasons/explanations.
If you were Theresa what would you do at this point? As the physician, what obligations, if any, do you have
to your patient? To Theresa? If you were Ms. Chung, what would you say or do with
Mary at this point? What would you say or do with herparents?
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Stop here!
For the next class:
Review your notes
Review what strong moral reasons andexplanations are.
Review what weak moral reasons and
explanations are. Study for your exam; there will be a review
session on Tuesday after the lecture.
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Evaluating Moral Reasons and
Moral Explanations Moral decision making involves giving a
moral explanation moral reasons for
having reached a decision or action.
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Evaluating a moral reason or a moral
explanation means judging how strongthe reason or explanation is, and thisrequires that we distinguish between
strong and weak moral reasons andexplanations.
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Important Points to Consider
Two people can reach the same decision,though one person may have a better
explanation. To resolve moral dilemmas and to
facilitate the assessing of moral
explanations, we must find a way toevaluate which reasons and explanationsare weak or strong.
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Strong Moral Reasons
Are relevant to the decision made (are
focused moral reasons) Take account of the person or persons
most affected by the decision.
Consider the values most central tothe situation rather than less centralvalues.
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Weak Moral Reasons
Are irrelevant to or only vaguelyrelate to the decision made.
Are indifferent to the person orpersons most affected by the decision.
Consider the values less central to thesituation and thereby fail to act oncentral values.
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Keep in Mind
A set of strong moral reasons does notnecessarily add up to make a strong moral
explanation. Even if moral reasons arestrong, motivating us to act, they may notprovide a strong explanation.
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*Comprehensiveness*
COMPREHENSIVENESS is anotherelement besides strong moral reasons that
will make explanations strong. A bettermoral explanation will comprehensivelyconsider all the perspectives that help us
apply values in a particular situation, allof the persons affected by the decision,and all the values at issue.
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Strong Moral Explanations
Use several perspectives to interpret andapply values (e.g., consider consequences,
motives, rights, virtues, and life stories) Take into account all persons affected by
the decision
Consider more values rather than fewervalues.
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Weak Moral Explanations
Focus single-mindedly on one perspective tointerpret and apply values (e.g., may consider
only consequences and ignore motives, rights,virtues, relationships, life stories, etc.)
Are indifferent to some of the persons affectedby the decision
Consider at least one values, but in doing soignore other values.
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Strong moral explanations take a broadview of the whole situation and involve
multiple strong moral reasons; severalperspectives are used to decide whethervalues to be enacted by focusing on
consequences, motives, and/or rights, etc.
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Exercise
Give me an example of a strong moralreason.
Give me an example of a weak moralreason
Give me an example of a strong moralexplanation
Give me an example of a weak moralexplanation
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Revisiting Cases 1 and 3
Return to what you wrote down duringthe previous discussion (your
reasons/explanations in support of whatyou would say or do).
Would you say that your moral reasons were
strong or weak? Why/why not? Would you say that your moral explanations
were strong or weak? Why/why not?