EthicsEthics“Moral Philosophy”“Moral Philosophy”

""Ethics is a code of values Ethics is a code of values which guide our choices and which guide our choices and actions and determine the actions and determine the purpose and course of our purpose and course of our lives.“ --- Ayn Rand lives.“ --- Ayn Rand

EthicsEthics Branch of philosophy Branch of philosophy

concerned with the evaluation concerned with the evaluation of human conduct of human conduct

- What What oughtought we do we do

- What type of person - What type of person ought ought we we becomebecome

EthicsEthics Usually divided into three general areasUsually divided into three general areas

1. Meta-ethics1. Meta-ethics

2. Normative ethics2. Normative ethics

3. Applied ethics 3. Applied ethics

Meta-ethics Meta-ethics Investigates the origin of our ethical Investigates the origin of our ethical

principles and what they implyprinciples and what they imply

- Are Ethics merely social inventions?- Are Ethics merely social inventions? - Are there moral facts? - Are there moral facts?

- Why should we do the “right” thing? - Why should we do the “right” thing?

Normative EthicsNormative Ethics Arrives at moral standards that regulate Arrives at moral standards that regulate

right and wrong conduct right and wrong conduct

- How do we decide what is right from How do we decide what is right from wrong?wrong?

- What good habits should we acquire?What good habits should we acquire?

- What duty do we have to others? - What duty do we have to others?

Applied EthicsApplied Ethics

Examines specific controversial Examines specific controversial issues issues

Examples:Examples:

-- Abortion -- Abortion

-- Capital punishment-- Capital punishment

-- War-- War

-- Animal rights-- Animal rights

Ethical RelativismEthical Relativism There are no universally There are no universally valid moral principlesvalid moral principles

All moral principles are a All moral principles are a matter of Human opinionmatter of Human opinion

Ethical RelativismEthical RelativismSubjective Ethical RelativismSubjective Ethical Relativism

-- What is right and wrong is solely a What is right and wrong is solely a matter of each individual’s personal matter of each individual’s personal opinionopinion

Conventional Ethical Relativism Conventional Ethical Relativism (Conventionalism)(Conventionalism)

-- What is right and wrong is relative to What is right and wrong is relative to each particular societyeach particular society

Subjective Ethical RelativismSubjective Ethical Relativism

““Raw Oysters Raw Oysters taste delicious”taste delicious”

““Tattoos are Tattoos are awesome”awesome”

Subjective Ethical RelativismSubjective Ethical Relativism““It is wrong to cheat”It is wrong to cheat”

Conventional Ethical RelativismConventional Ethical Relativism

““Contemporary Contemporary values of the values of the 1900’s 1900’s dictated that dictated that Women should Women should not expose not expose their bodies their bodies (even when (even when swimming)”swimming)”

Conventional Ethical RelativismConventional Ethical Relativism

““In the 1920’s it In the 1920’s it was immoral was immoral for women to for women to wear bathing wear bathing suits that were suits that were more than 6 more than 6 inches above inches above the knee”the knee”

Conventional Ethical RelativismConventional Ethical Relativism

“ “ It was OK to It was OK to treat people treat people differently differently because of because of their race”their race”

Conventional Ethical RelativismConventional Ethical Relativism

““There is There is nothing nothing wrong with wrong with Genocide as Genocide as long as long as society society condones it”condones it”

Ethical ObjectivismEthical ObjectivismThere are universal and There are universal and objective moral principlesobjective moral principles

These principles are not These principles are not relative to the individual relative to the individual nor to societynor to society

Ethical ObjectivismEthical Objectivism 5 + 5 = ???5 + 5 = ???

How many How many sides does a sides does a triangle triangle have?have?

Ethical ObjectivismEthical Objectivism““Murdering Murdering an an innocent innocent person is person is wrong”wrong”

Ethical EgoismEthical EgoismPeople People

should should always act to always act to promote their promote their own self own self interestinterest

Note -- egoism Note -- egoism should not be should not be confused with confused with being an being an egotist-- a self egotist-- a self centered person centered person with an inflated with an inflated egoego

Ethical EgoismEthical Egoism Not concerned with Not concerned with

gratifying gratifying immediate desiresimmediate desires

Concerned with Concerned with promoting our promoting our objective (long objective (long term) self interestterm) self interest

Ethical EgoismEthical Egoism What does it mean to act in your What does it mean to act in your

self interest?self interest?

Pursue those ends that will contribute to Pursue those ends that will contribute to your personal happinessyour personal happiness

Maximize our own good an well beingMaximize our own good an well being

Ethical EgoismEthical Egoism “ “Love and friendship are profoundly Love and friendship are profoundly

personal, selfish values…. One gains personal, selfish values…. One gains a profoundly personal, selfish joy a profoundly personal, selfish joy from the mere existence of the from the mere existence of the person one loves. It is one’s own person one loves. It is one’s own personal, selfish happiness that one personal, selfish happiness that one seeks, earns and derives from love”seeks, earns and derives from love”

Ethical EgoismEthical EgoismHow would an ethical egoist How would an ethical egoist justify the following?justify the following?

Putting your life at risk to save a Putting your life at risk to save a loved one.loved one.

Giving money to a worthy charityGiving money to a worthy charity

Helping your neighbor moveHelping your neighbor move