Evaluating actions The principle of utility Strengths Criticisms Act vs. rule

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "Evaluating actions The principle of utility Strengths Criticisms Act vs. rule"

Transcription

1 UTILITARIAN ETHICS

2 Evaluating actions The principle of utility Strengths Criticisms Act vs. rule

3 A dilemma You are a lawyer. You have a client who is an old lady who owns a big house. She tells you that she wants her dog to inherit the house after she dies. You promise her you will see to it that her dog will be the only future owner of the house. However, you also notice that there are not enough schools for children in the district.

4 A dilemma What would you do when the old lady dies keep your promise and honor her wish, or break the promise and convert the house into a school for poor children?

5 Evaluating actions When we make moral judgments, we try to determine whether an action is right or wrong. In other words, we are evaluating it. The moral worth of an action depends on whether and to what extent it is right from a moral point of view.

6 Evaluating actions Broadly speaking, there are 2 main theoretical approaches to moral judgments: [1] evaluation based on moral rules or duty (deontology) or [2] evaluation based on consequences (consequentialism).

7 Evaluating actions Deontology, or duty-based ethics, is the view that the rightness or wrongness of an action depends on whether it follows a particular rule or principle.

8 Evaluating actions For example, if all rational people accept the principle You should be nice to those people who are nice to you an action is intrinsically right (i.e. right in itself) if it accords with this principle, intrinsically wrong if it goes against this principle.

9 Evaluating actions Deontological ethics asserts, additionally, that we have a duty to do what is right. On the contrary, if an action is wrong, we have a duty not to do it.

10 Evaluating actions Consequentialism is the view that we should evaluate actions according to their consequences. An action is right if it brings good consequences; an action is wrong if it brings bad consequences.

11 Evaluating actions From the standpoint of consequentialism, actions are not intrinsically right or wrong. For example: an act of lying is not wrong in itself; it is wrong only if it brings bad consequences.

12 The principle of utility Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism. The classical formulation of utilitarianism is found in the writing of Jeremy Bentham ( ) and John Stuart Mill ( ).

13 The principle of utility For Bentham and his followers, morality is concerned with maximizing utility (i.e. happiness or well-being).

14 The principle of utility As a social reformer, Bentham believes that morality, as well as law and social policy, should all have the same goal: to serve for the good of all persons. The purpose of morality, as he sees it, is to make the world a better place for everyone.

15 The principle of utility Bentham and his followers saw their ethical theory as a basis for legal and social reforms. They wanted to reduce suffering and promote happiness. They wanted to make law serve human needs and interests. They wanted social policy to work for the good of all persons.

16 The principle of utility For Bentham, happiness is the only thing that has intrinsic value, i.e. the only thing that is good in itself. Other things such as money or freedom may be good too, but only to the extent that they produce happiness; what they have is instrumental value, not intrinsic value.

17 The principle of utility The same goes for actions and practices; actions and practices are not right or wrong in themselves. An action or practice is right as long as it brings more pleasure or happiness, and wrong if it causes more pain or suffering.

18 The principle of utility The 3 main propositions of classical utilitarianism: First, actions are to be judged right or wrong solely in virtue of their consequences. Nothing else matters. Right actions are, simply, those that have the best consequences.

19 The principle of utility Second, in assessing consequences, the only thing that matters is the amount of happiness or unhappiness that is caused. Everything else is irrelevant. Thus, right actions are those that produce the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness.

20 The principle of utility Third, in calculating the happiness or unhappiness that will be caused, no one s happiness is to be counted as more important than anyone else s. Each person s welfare or well-being is equally important. In short, everyone counts, and everyone counts equally.

21 The principle of utility The way we act has consequences not only for ourselves but also for others, i.e. by causing them pleasure or pain. The utility of an action is the net amount of pleasure and pain that it causes when everyone affected by it is taken into consideration.

22 The principle of utility To put it all together, the most fundamental principle of utilitarianism is the principle of utility (also known as the greatest happiness principle ): We ought to perform the action that produces the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people.

23 The principle of utility Form the standpoint of utilitarianism, there is no need to consider the motives or intentions for which people do what they do; it is the result or consequence of one s action that matters morally.

24 The principle of utility According to the principle of utility, we need to measure, count and compare the consequences likely to be produced by various alternative actions. The morally right or best action is the one that produces the greatest overall positive consequences for everyone affected by the action.

25 The principle of utility If the rightness or wrongness of an action depends on all of its results, and these have not yet occurred, then how can we know whether an action is the right or best choice?

26 The principle of utility Utilitarianism requires us to treat every person as equal and put aside our narrow self-interest for the sake of the whole. It demands that we sacrifice our own pleasure or happiness for the greater good.

27 The principle of utility Utilitarians believe that policymakers should make decisions based on calculation of the effects of policies on society as a whole. They should not choose policies that favor themselves or their families or their friends.

28 Strengths An attractive feature of utilitarianism is that it has given morality a clear purpose: to promote general well-being or maximize overall happiness. To many people, it is obvious that morality should have a lot to do with people s happiness.

29 Strengths In addition, utilitarianism offers a logical and reasonable solution to moral decision making. In our normal lives we use utilitarian reasoning all the time: I might give money to charity when seeing that it would do more good for needy people than it would for me.

30 Strengths Utilitarianism provides a universal standard of morality according to which everyone s interest and well-being must be taken into consideration and given equal weight. As such, utilitarianism embodies an ideal of equal concern for all persons.

31 Strengths Utilitarianism demands impartiality. When applying the principle of utility, the wellbeing of everyone affected must be taken into consideration and treated equally. Everyone counts equally. No one should be given special treatment because of race, gender, or personal relationship.

32 Strengths Utilitarianism also encourages us to show more concern for animals. Because animals, like humans, can experience pleasure and pain, utilitarian reasoning requires that we take animal welfare into consideration when we decide what is the right thing to do.

33 Criticisms One criticism of utilitarianism is that measuring and calculating utility is by no means an easy task. Is it possible or meaningful to compare, in quantitative terms, the pleasure we get from eating an ice-cream and the pleasure we get from helping a friend?

34 Criticisms Do we have any method for comparing the happiness of two different people? If the answer to this question is no, is this a problem for utilitarianism?

35 Criticisms Different people may have different ideas of happiness or pleasure. John Stuart Mill, for example, suggests that we have to distinguish between lower, bodily pleasures (e.g. eating, drinking, and sexual activity) and higher pleasures (i.e. intellectual, creative and spiritual pleasures).

36 Criticisms Mill thinks that the higher pleasures are superior to, and thus more valuable than, the lower ones. In his view, it is not just the quantity (amount), but the quality or type of pleasure that matters.

37 Criticisms Another objection is that it is usually extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict the precise results or consequences of actions.

38 Criticisms Consider the following example: A child asked Alice for money to get home. Alice bought a train ticket for the child. Unfortunately, the train was involved in an accident and the child was injured. Was it morally wrong for Alice to buy the ticket for the child?

39 Criticisms We normally do not know the long-term consequences of our actions. Even if we agree with utilitarianism on principle, the best we can do is to perform the action that is most likely to have the best overall results.

40 Criticisms Utilitarianism has been criticized for only looking at the results of actions, without taking into account the motives of people s actions. In the previous example, Alice s action is not wrong if intention, rather than consequence, is seen as the most relevant factor in evaluating her action.

41 Criticisms Some people argue that utilitarianism is too demanding because it often requires us to promote the interests of others. For example, when I am about to go to the cinema, I should ask myself if helping the homeless in my community would promote greater happiness for all.

42 Criticisms According to utilitarian reasoning, you should sell your smartphone (or you should not have bought it in the first place) and donate the money to the Save the Children Fund. Why? Because the starving children in Africa need the money to buy food more than you need your smartphone.

43 Criticisms The implication of the principle of utility is that in order to maximize utility and promote the well-being of everyone, continual self-sacrifice is necessary, for example, by giving up one s time and money to help the needy.

44 Criticisms Most of us are aware that spending $1000 on food for some unknown person in Africa would create more happiness than spending it on entertainment or toys for our children. But most of us would not make the utilitarian choice because we think that our own happiness (or the happiness of our families) is more important.

45 Criticisms Very rarely, after all, do we take into equal account everybody s happiness before we act. Often we only consider our own happiness or the happiness of people who matter most to us.

46 Criticisms Utilitarian reasoning often implies that it would be right to sacrifice an individual s rights if it would maximize happiness for everyone else. A good example is the invasion of privacy of a celebrity (e.g. by placing a hidden camera in her bathroom) for the entertainment of the public.

47 Criticisms A friend of yours installed a hidden camera in your bathroom without you noticing it. He enjoys watching you take showers but you are not aware of it. From the utilitarian point of view, it seems there is nothing wrong with your friend s actions.

48 Criticisms Now, suppose your friend goes further by sharing the nude photos taken of you with other people over the internet. Do you think his actions can be morally justified in terms of the principle of utility?

49 Act vs. rule A common argument leveled against utilitarianism is that it justifies any action so long as it has better consequences than its alternatives. Cheating, stealing, lying, and even killing may all seem to be justified, depending on whether they maximize happiness in some particular situation.

50 Act vs. rule If it could be shown, for example, that publicly hanging someone who is innocent would have the direct beneficial effect of reducing violent crime by acting as a deterrent, then a utilitarian would say that hanging the innocent person is the morally right thing to do.

51 Act vs. rule The apparent weaknesses of utilitarianism have led some philosophers to modify the theory. They suggest that not only can we apply the principle of utility to actions, but we can also apply the principle to moral rules.

52 Act vs. rule It was John Stuart Mill who first proposed that happiness is generally more successfully pursued by acting on general rules than by measuring the consequences of each act.

53 Act vs. rule Rule utilitarianism applies the utility principle not to acts but to moral rules. The best way to promote general welfare, according to rule utilitarianism, is to adhere to those rules that are chosen to maximize utility.

54 Act vs. rule As a general rule, punishing innocent people produces more unhappiness than happiness. Thus, from the point of view of rule utilitarianism, we should adopt the rule never punish the innocent because its universal adoption would result in the greatest happiness.

55 Act vs. rule Actions that violate the rule can never be morally justified, although there might be particular instances in which punishing the innocent would produce more happiness than unhappiness.

56 Act vs. rule Act utilitarianism states that we need to consider the consequences of actions and choose the one that maximizes happiness. Rule utilitarianism, on the other hand, asks us to consider the potential consequences of different rules of action.

57 Act vs. rule Act utilitarianism: An act is right insofar as it maximizes happiness in a particular situation. Rule utilitarianism: An act is right insofar as it conforms to a moral rule the application of which will bring the greatest amount of happiness.

58 Act vs. rule A doctor has five patients under his care. One of the patients needs to have a heart transplant, one needs two lungs, one needs a liver, and the last two need kidneys. Now into his office comes a young healthy man who just wants to have a flu shot.

59 Act vs. rule Doing a utility calculus, there is no doubt in the doctor s mind that he could do more good by injecting the healthy man with a sleep-inducing drug and using his organs to save the patients. Is there anything wrong with this line of thinking?

60 Act vs. rule In the above example, there are at least three reasons to oppose classical (act) utilitarian reasoning: First, it is unjust to sacrifice the life of an innocent person who does not deserve to die. Second, killing the healthy young man clearly violates the basic human right of personal security.

61 Act vs. rule Finally, the general public will lose trust in the medical profession if they are aware that unsuspecting patients have been murdered in hospitals and their organs harvested for transplant.

62 Act vs. rule Given these objections, a rule utilitarian would argue that the act of killing one to save five can never be morally justified. Certain actions must be forbidden, even if they might sometimes achieve good results.

63 Act vs. rule All doctors, as the argument goes, must abide by the rules laid down in the medical code of ethics which strictly prohibit the removal or transplant of organs without patients consent.

64 Act vs. rule According to rule utilitarianism, to determine whether a rule should be followed, we need to look at what would happen if it were constantly followed. If following the rule brings the maximum amount of happiness, it is a rule that must be followed at all times.

65 Act vs. rule For rule utilitarianism to work, the rule that has been chosen must be a clearly defined rule of action that can be followed consistently by all members of a society, group or profession.

66 Act vs. rule Broadly speaking, a rule can be a law, a social norm, a custom or convention, a regulation, or a professional code of practice. An act is morally wrong if it violates a rule whose public acceptance maximizes the good.

67 Act vs. rule In August 1945, the US Air Force made history by dropping atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These two bombs killed nearly 200,000 civilians and reduced both cities to rubble. Japan surrendered immediately on seeing the incredible devastation caused by those bombs.

68 Act vs. rule Can we say, in hindsight, that sacrificing civilian lives can be justified on utilitarian grounds? Does the end (stopping the world war) really justify the means (murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians)?

69 Act vs. rule If you were a rule utilitarian, would you support or oppose the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Moral Philosophy : Utilitarianism

Moral Philosophy : Utilitarianism Moral Philosophy : Utilitarianism Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a moral theory that was developed by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). It is a teleological or consequentialist

More information

Utilitarianism. But what is meant by intrinsically good and instrumentally good?

Utilitarianism. But what is meant by intrinsically good and instrumentally good? Utilitarianism 1. What is Utilitarianism?: This is the theory of morality which says that the right action is always the one that best promotes the total amount of happiness in the world. Utilitarianism

More information

Mill s Utilitarian Theory

Mill s Utilitarian Theory Normative Ethics Mill s Utilitarian Theory John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism The Greatest Happiness Principle holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they

More information

KANTIAN ETHICS (Dan Gaskill)

KANTIAN ETHICS (Dan Gaskill) KANTIAN ETHICS (Dan Gaskill) German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was an opponent of utilitarianism. Basic Summary: Kant, unlike Mill, believed that certain types of actions (including murder,

More information

Suppose... Kant. The Good Will. Kant Three Propositions

Suppose... Kant. The Good Will. Kant Three Propositions Suppose.... Kant You are a good swimmer and one day at the beach you notice someone who is drowning offshore. Consider the following three scenarios. Which one would Kant says exhibits a good will? Even

More information

-- did you get a message welcoming you to the cours reflector? If not, please correct what s needed.

-- did you get a message welcoming you to the cours reflector? If not, please correct what s needed. 1 -- did you get a message welcoming you to the coursemail reflector? If not, please correct what s needed. 2 -- don t use secondary material from the web, as its quality is variable; cf. Wikipedia. Check

More information

Moral Theory. What makes things right or wrong?

Moral Theory. What makes things right or wrong? Moral Theory What makes things right or wrong? Consider: Moral Disagreement We have disagreements about right and wrong, about how people ought or ought not act. When we do, we (sometimes!) reason with

More information

24.02 Moral Problems and the Good Life

24.02 Moral Problems and the Good Life MIT OpenCourseWare http://ocw.mit.edu 24.02 Moral Problems and the Good Life Fall 2008 For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use, visit: http://ocw.mit.edu/terms. Three Moral Theories

More information

Philosophical Ethics. Consequentialism Deontology (Virtue Ethics)

Philosophical Ethics. Consequentialism Deontology (Virtue Ethics) Consequentialism Deontology (Virtue Ethics) Consequentialism Deontology (Virtue Ethics) Consequentialism the value of an action (the action's moral worth, its rightness or wrongness) derives entirely from

More information

Suicide. 1. Rationality vs. Morality: Kagan begins by distinguishing between two questions:

Suicide. 1. Rationality vs. Morality: Kagan begins by distinguishing between two questions: Suicide Because we are mortal, and furthermore have some CONTROL over when our deaths occur, we should ask: When is it acceptable to end one s own life? 1. Rationality vs. Morality: Kagan begins by distinguishing

More information

Philosophical Ethics. The nature of ethical analysis. Discussion based on Johnson, Computer Ethics, Chapter 2.

Philosophical Ethics. The nature of ethical analysis. Discussion based on Johnson, Computer Ethics, Chapter 2. Philosophical Ethics The nature of ethical analysis Discussion based on Johnson, Computer Ethics, Chapter 2. How to resolve ethical issues? censorship abortion affirmative action How do we defend our moral

More information

What is the nature of God? Does God make arbitrary rules just to see if we will obey? Does God make rules that He knows will lead to our happiness?

What is the nature of God? Does God make arbitrary rules just to see if we will obey? Does God make rules that He knows will lead to our happiness? What is the nature of God? Does God make arbitrary rules just to see if we will obey? Does God make rules that He knows will lead to our happiness? If the latter statement is true, doesn t it make sense

More information

SUMMARIES AND TEST QUESTIONS UNIT 6

SUMMARIES AND TEST QUESTIONS UNIT 6 SUMMARIES AND TEST QUESTIONS UNIT 6 Textbook: Louis P. Pojman, Editor. Philosophy: The quest for truth. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN-10: 0199697310; ISBN-13: 9780199697311 (6th Edition)

More information

Ethics is subjective.

Ethics is subjective. Introduction Scientific Method and Research Ethics Ethical Theory Greg Bognar Stockholm University September 22, 2017 Ethics is subjective. If ethics is subjective, then moral claims are subjective in

More information

Chapter 2 Normative Theories of Ethics

Chapter 2 Normative Theories of Ethics Chapter 2 Normative Theories of Ethics MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Consequentialism a. is best represented by Ross's theory of ethics. b. states that sometimes the consequences of our actions can be morally relevant.

More information

Ethical Theory. Ethical Theory. Consequentialism in practice. How do we get the numbers? Must Choose Best Possible Act

Ethical Theory. Ethical Theory. Consequentialism in practice. How do we get the numbers? Must Choose Best Possible Act Consequentialism and Nonconsequentialism Ethical Theory Utilitarianism (Consequentialism) in Practice Criticisms of Consequentialism Kant Consequentialism The only thing that determines the morality of

More information

Chapter 3 PHILOSOPHICAL ETHICS AND BUSINESS CHAPTER OBJECTIVES. After exploring this chapter, you will be able to:

Chapter 3 PHILOSOPHICAL ETHICS AND BUSINESS CHAPTER OBJECTIVES. After exploring this chapter, you will be able to: Chapter 3 PHILOSOPHICAL ETHICS AND BUSINESS MGT604 CHAPTER OBJECTIVES After exploring this chapter, you will be able to: 1. Explain the ethical framework of utilitarianism. 2. Describe how utilitarian

More information

Kant, Deontology, & Respect for Persons

Kant, Deontology, & Respect for Persons Kant, Deontology, & Respect for Persons Some Possibly Helpful Terminology Normative moral theories can be categorized according to whether the theory is primarily focused on judgments of value or judgments

More information

Utilitarianism pp

Utilitarianism pp Utilitarianism pp. 430-445. Assuming that moral realism is true and that there are objectively true moral principles, what are they? What, for example, is the correct principle concerning lying? Three

More information

24.01: Classics of Western Philosophy

24.01: Classics of Western Philosophy Mill s Utilitarianism I. Introduction Recall that there are four questions one might ask an ethical theory to answer: a) Which acts are right and which are wrong? Which acts ought we to perform (understanding

More information

Critical Reasoning and Moral theory day 3

Critical Reasoning and Moral theory day 3 Critical Reasoning and Moral theory day 3 CS 340 Fall 2015 Ethics and Moral Theories Differences of opinion based caused by different value set Deontology Virtue Religious and Divine Command Utilitarian

More information

Lecture 6 Workable Ethical Theories I. Based on slides 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

Lecture 6 Workable Ethical Theories I. Based on slides 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Lecture 6 Workable Ethical Theories I Participation Quiz Pick an answer between A E at random. (thanks to Rodrigo for suggesting this quiz) Ethical Egoism Achievement of your happiness is the only moral

More information

Let us begin by first locating our fields in relation to other fields that study ethics. Consider the following taxonomy: Kinds of ethical inquiries

Let us begin by first locating our fields in relation to other fields that study ethics. Consider the following taxonomy: Kinds of ethical inquiries ON NORMATIVE ETHICAL THEORIES: SOME BASICS From the dawn of philosophy, the question concerning the summum bonum, or, what is the same thing, concerning the foundation of morality, has been accounted the

More information

Computer Ethics. Normative Ethics Ethical Theories. Viola Schiaffonati October 4 th 2018

Computer Ethics. Normative Ethics Ethical Theories. Viola Schiaffonati October 4 th 2018 Normative Ethics Ethical Theories Viola Schiaffonati October 4 th 2018 Overview (van de Poel and Royakkers 2011) 2 Ethical theories Relativism and absolutism Consequentialist approaches: utilitarianism

More information

The Pleasure Imperative

The Pleasure Imperative The Pleasure Imperative Utilitarianism, particularly the version espoused by John Stuart Mill, is probably the best known consequentialist normative ethical theory. Furthermore, it is probably the most

More information

Lecture 6 Workable Ethical Theories I. Based on slides 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley

Lecture 6 Workable Ethical Theories I. Based on slides 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Lecture 6 Workable Ethical Theories I Participation Quiz Pick an answer between A E at random. What answer (A E) do you think will have been selected most frequently in the previous poll? Recap: Unworkable

More information

Philosophy 1100: Ethics

Philosophy 1100: Ethics Philosophy 1100: Ethics Topic 7: Ross Theory of Prima Facie Duties 1. Something all our theories have had in common 2. W.D. Ross 3. The Concept of a Prima Facie Duty 4. Ross List of Prima Facie Duties

More information

Autonomous Machines Are Ethical

Autonomous Machines Are Ethical Autonomous Machines Are Ethical John Hooker Carnegie Mellon University INFORMS 2017 1 Thesis Concepts of deontological ethics are ready-made for the age of AI. Philosophical concept of autonomy applies

More information

Quiz 1. Criticisms of consequentialism and Kant. Consequentialism and Nonconsequentialism. Consequentialism in practice. Must Choose Best Possible Act

Quiz 1. Criticisms of consequentialism and Kant. Consequentialism and Nonconsequentialism. Consequentialism in practice. Must Choose Best Possible Act Quiz 1 (Out of 4 points; 5 points possible) Ethical Theory (continued) In one clear sentence, state one of the criticisms of consequentialism discussed in the course pack. (up to 2 bonus points): In one

More information

Lecture 12 Deontology. Onora O Neill A Simplified Account of Kant s Ethics

Lecture 12 Deontology. Onora O Neill A Simplified Account of Kant s Ethics Lecture 12 Deontology Onora O Neill A Simplified Account of Kant s Ethics 1 Agenda 1. Immanuel Kant 2. Deontology 3. Hypothetical vs. Categorical Imperatives 4. Formula of the End in Itself 5. Maxims and

More information

Chapter 2 Reasoning about Ethics

Chapter 2 Reasoning about Ethics Chapter 2 Reasoning about Ethics TRUE/FALSE 1. The statement "nearly all Americans believe that individual liberty should be respected" is a normative claim. F This is a statement about people's beliefs;

More information

in Social Science Encyclopedia (Routledge, forthcoming, 2006). Consequentialism (Blackwell Publishers, forthcoming, 2006)

in Social Science Encyclopedia (Routledge, forthcoming, 2006). Consequentialism (Blackwell Publishers, forthcoming, 2006) in Social Science Encyclopedia (Routledge, forthcoming, 2006). Consequentialism Ethics in Practice, 3 rd edition, edited by Hugh LaFollette (Blackwell Publishers, forthcoming, 2006) Peter Vallentyne, University

More information

NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY DHAKA, BANGLADESH

NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY DHAKA, BANGLADESH NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY DHAKA, BANGLADESH Semester: Spring 2016 Course Code: PHI 104 (Section: 2) Class Time: ST 04.20 PM-05.50 PM Course Title: Introduction to Ethics

More information

GS SCORE ETHICS - A - Z. Notes

GS SCORE ETHICS - A - Z.   Notes ETHICS - A - Z Absolutism Act-utilitarianism Agent-centred consideration Agent-neutral considerations : This is the view, with regard to a moral principle or claim, that it holds everywhere and is never

More information

MGT610 Business Ethics

MGT610 Business Ethics MIDTERM EXAMINATION MGT610 Business Ethics BY VIRTUALIANS.PK Question # 01 Mark: 1 The three major types of ethical issues include except? Communication issues Systematic issues Corporate issues Individual

More information

Lecture 2: What Ethics is Not. Jim Pryor Guidelines on Reading Philosophy Peter Singer What Ethics is Not

Lecture 2: What Ethics is Not. Jim Pryor Guidelines on Reading Philosophy Peter Singer What Ethics is Not Lecture 2: What Ethics is Not Jim Pryor Guidelines on Reading Philosophy Peter Singer What Ethics is Not 1 Agenda 1. Review: Theoretical Ethics, Applied Ethics, Metaethics 2. What Ethics is Not 1. Sexual

More information

Annotated List of Ethical Theories

Annotated List of Ethical Theories Annotated List of Ethical Theories The following list is selective, including only what I view as the major theories. Entries in bold face have been especially influential. Recommendations for additions

More information

Consequentialism. Mill s Theory of Utility

Consequentialism. Mill s Theory of Utility Consequentialism Mill s Theory of Utility Consequentialism Theory of Normative Ethics Has a different way of determining what the good life is from Aristotle: J.S. MILL: Good -----> THEORY OF CONSEQUENTIALISM

More information

Deontology: Duty-Based Ethics IMMANUEL KANT

Deontology: Duty-Based Ethics IMMANUEL KANT Deontology: Duty-Based Ethics IMMANUEL KANT KANT S OBJECTIONS TO UTILITARIANISM: 1. Utilitarianism takes no account of integrity - the accidental act or one done with evil intent if promoting good ends

More information

(i) Morality is a system; and (ii) It is a system comprised of moral rules and principles.

(i) Morality is a system; and (ii) It is a system comprised of moral rules and principles. Ethics and Morality Ethos (Greek) and Mores (Latin) are terms having to do with custom, habit, and behavior. Ethics is the study of morality. This definition raises two questions: (a) What is morality?

More information

abc Report on the Examination Religious Studies examination - January series General Certificate of Education RSS01 Religion and Ethics 1

abc Report on the Examination Religious Studies examination - January series General Certificate of Education RSS01 Religion and Ethics 1 Version : 1.0 abc General Certificate of Education Religious Studies 1061 RSS01 Religion and Ethics 1 Report on the Examination 2009 examination - January series Further copies of this Report are available

More information

Traditional Morality and Utilitarianism. Chapter 16, Kai Nielsen Introduction to Ethics Professor Douglas Olena

Traditional Morality and Utilitarianism. Chapter 16, Kai Nielsen Introduction to Ethics Professor Douglas Olena Traditional Morality and Utilitarianism Chapter 16, Kai Nielsen Introduction to Ethics Professor Douglas Olena Conservatism or Absolutism Utilitarianism is accused of having monstrous implications. Opposed

More information

EXERCISES, QUESTIONS, AND ACTIVITIES My Answers

EXERCISES, QUESTIONS, AND ACTIVITIES My Answers EXERCISES, QUESTIONS, AND ACTIVITIES My Answers Diagram and evaluate each of the following arguments. Arguments with Definitional Premises Altruism. Altruism is the practice of doing something solely because

More information

Making Decisions on Behalf of Others: Who or What Do I Select as a Guide? A Dilemma: - My boss. - The shareholders. - Other stakeholders

Making Decisions on Behalf of Others: Who or What Do I Select as a Guide? A Dilemma: - My boss. - The shareholders. - Other stakeholders Making Decisions on Behalf of Others: Who or What Do I Select as a Guide? - My boss - The shareholders - Other stakeholders - Basic principles about conduct and its impacts - What is good for me - What

More information

Louisiana Law Review. Cheney C. Joseph Jr. Louisiana State University Law Center. Volume 35 Number 5 Special Issue Repository Citation

Louisiana Law Review. Cheney C. Joseph Jr. Louisiana State University Law Center. Volume 35 Number 5 Special Issue Repository Citation Louisiana Law Review Volume 35 Number 5 Special Issue 1975 ON GUILT, RESPONSIBILITY AND PUNISHMENT. By Alf Ross. Translated from Danish by Alastair Hannay and Thomas E. Sheahan. London, Stevens and Sons

More information

Ethical Theories. A (Very) Brief Introduction

Ethical Theories. A (Very) Brief Introduction Ethical Theories A (Very) Brief Introduction Last time, a definition Ethics: The discipline that deals with right and wrong, good and bad, especially with respect to human conduct. Well, for one thing,

More information

Theme 1: Ethical Thought, AS. divine command as an objective metaphysical foundation for morality.

Theme 1: Ethical Thought, AS. divine command as an objective metaphysical foundation for morality. Theme 1: Ethical Thought, AS A. Divine Command Theory Meta-ethical theory - God as the origin and regulator of morality right or wrong as objective truths based on God s will/command, moral goodness is

More information

Normative Ethical Theories

Normative Ethical Theories Normative Ethical Theories I. Normative Ethics A Normative Ethical Theory is a philosophical theory about the fundamental principles of morality. A fundamental principle of morality is a moral obligation

More information

Hello. Welcome to our second lecture on John Stuart Mill s utilitarianism.

Hello. Welcome to our second lecture on John Stuart Mill s utilitarianism. PHI 110 Lecture 27 1 Hello. Welcome to our second lecture on John Stuart Mill s utilitarianism. When we finish with Mill, we ll begin Immanuel Kant next time and we ll finish off the course with some lectures

More information

How should I live? I should do whatever brings about the most pleasure (or, at least, the most good)

How should I live? I should do whatever brings about the most pleasure (or, at least, the most good) How should I live? I should do whatever brings about the most pleasure (or, at least, the most good) Suppose that some actions are right, and some are wrong. What s the difference between them? What makes

More information

Animal Disenhancement

Animal Disenhancement Animal Disenhancement 1. Animal Disenhancement: Just as advancements in nanotechnology and genetic engineering are giving rise to the possibility of ENHANCING human beings, they are also giving rise to

More information

Contents Introduction...1 The Goodness Ethic...1 Method...3 The Nature of the Good...4 Goodness as Virtue and Intention...6 Revision History...

Contents Introduction...1 The Goodness Ethic...1 Method...3 The Nature of the Good...4 Goodness as Virtue and Intention...6 Revision History... The Goodness Ethic Copyright 2010 William Meacham, Ph. D. Permission to reproduce is granted provided the work is reproduced in its entirety, including this notice. Contact the author at http://www.bmeacham.com.

More information

THE CONCEPT OF OWNERSHIP by Lars Bergström

THE CONCEPT OF OWNERSHIP by Lars Bergström From: Who Owns Our Genes?, Proceedings of an international conference, October 1999, Tallin, Estonia, The Nordic Committee on Bioethics, 2000. THE CONCEPT OF OWNERSHIP by Lars Bergström I shall be mainly

More information

Thinking Ethically: A Framework for Moral Decision Making

Thinking Ethically: A Framework for Moral Decision Making Thinking Ethically: A Framework for Moral Decision Making Developed by Manuel Velasquez, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer Moral issues greet us each morning in the newspaper, confront

More information

Peter Singer, Practical Ethics Discussion Questions/Study Guide Prepared by Prof. Bill Felice

Peter Singer, Practical Ethics Discussion Questions/Study Guide Prepared by Prof. Bill Felice Peter Singer, Practical Ethics Discussion Questions/Study Guide Prepared by Prof. Bill Felice Ch. 1: "About Ethics," p. 1-15 1) Clarify and discuss the different ethical theories: Deontological approaches-ethics

More information

Philosophy 1100: Ethics

Philosophy 1100: Ethics Philosophy 1100: Ethics Topic 5: Utilitarianism: 1. More moral principles 2. Uncontroversially wrong actions 3. The suffering principle 4. J.S. Mill and Utilitarianism 5. The Lack of Time Argument 6. Presenting,

More information

Deontology: Duty-Based Ethics IMMANUEL KANT

Deontology: Duty-Based Ethics IMMANUEL KANT Deontology: Duty-Based Ethics IMMANUEL KANT A NOTE ON READING KANT Lord Macaulay once recorded in his diary a memorable attempt his first and apparently his last to read Kant s Critique: I received today

More information

Ethical Dilemmas in Life and Society

Ethical Dilemmas in Life and Society Ethical Dilemmas in Life and Society **check for notes before class** What is ethics? ethical relativism: moral values varied with the individual but then how do i convince you that its right? how do you

More information

Introduction to Ethics

Introduction to Ethics Question 1: What is act-utilitarianism? Answer 1: Act-utilitarianism is a theory that is commonly presented in the writings of Jeremy Bentham and looks at the consequences of a specific act in determining

More information

Lecture 8. Ethics in Science

Lecture 8. Ethics in Science Lecture 8 Ethics in Science What is ethics? We can say it is a system for guiding our choices in different situations But it is not just rational choices. It is about situations where our conceptions of

More information

SAMPLE COURSE OUTLINE PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS GENERAL YEAR 11

SAMPLE COURSE OUTLINE PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS GENERAL YEAR 11 SAMPLE COURSE OUTLINE PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS GENERAL YEAR 11 Copyright School Curriculum and Standards Authority, 2014 This document apart from any third party copyright material contained in it may be

More information

Benjamin Visscher Hole IV Phil 100, Intro to Philosophy

Benjamin Visscher Hole IV Phil 100, Intro to Philosophy Benjamin Visscher Hole IV Phil 100, Intro to Philosophy Kantian Ethics I. Context II. The Good Will III. The Categorical Imperative: Formulation of Universal Law IV. The Categorical Imperative: Formulation

More information

Hello again. Today we re gonna continue our discussions of Kant s ethics.

Hello again. Today we re gonna continue our discussions of Kant s ethics. PHI 110 Lecture 29 1 Hello again. Today we re gonna continue our discussions of Kant s ethics. Last time we talked about the good will and Kant defined the good will as the free rational will which acts

More information

24.03: Good Food 2/15/17

24.03: Good Food 2/15/17 Consequentialism and Famine I. Moral Theory: Introduction Here are five questions we might want an ethical theory to answer for us: i) Which acts are right and which are wrong? Which acts ought we to perform

More information

PHIL%13:%Ethics;%Fall%2012% David%O.%Brink;%UCSD% Syllabus% Part%I:%Challenges%to%Moral%Theory 1.%Relativism%and%Tolerance.

PHIL%13:%Ethics;%Fall%2012% David%O.%Brink;%UCSD% Syllabus% Part%I:%Challenges%to%Moral%Theory 1.%Relativism%and%Tolerance. Draftof8)27)12 PHIL%13:%Ethics;%Fall%2012% David%O.%Brink;%UCSD% Syllabus% Hereisalistoftopicsandreadings.Withinatopic,dothereadingsintheorderinwhich theyarelisted.readingsaredrawnfromthethreemaintexts

More information

W.D. Ross ( )

W.D. Ross ( ) W.D. Ross (1877-1971) British philosopher Translator or Aristotle Defends a pluralist theory of morality in his now-classic book The Right and the Good (1930) Big idea: prima facie duties Prima Facie Duties

More information

A primer of major ethical theories

A primer of major ethical theories Chapter 1 A primer of major ethical theories Our topic in this course is privacy. Hence we want to understand (i) what privacy is and also (ii) why we value it and how this value is reflected in our norms

More information

In the Fall PEs many people who wrote about ethics as an Area of Knowledge indicated that ethical perspectives were always a matter of personal

In the Fall PEs many people who wrote about ethics as an Area of Knowledge indicated that ethical perspectives were always a matter of personal Ethics ToK 12 In the Fall PEs many people who wrote about ethics as an Area of Knowledge indicated that ethical perspectives were always a matter of personal perspective. In you notes, answer the following

More information

Philosophical Ethics. Distinctions and Categories

Philosophical Ethics. Distinctions and Categories Philosophical Ethics Distinctions and Categories Ethics Remember we have discussed how ethics fits into philosophy We have also, as a 1 st approximation, defined ethics as philosophical thinking about

More information

Ethical non-naturalism

Ethical non-naturalism Michael Lacewing Ethical non-naturalism Ethical non-naturalism is usually understood as a form of cognitivist moral realism. So we first need to understand what cognitivism and moral realism is before

More information

5. John Akers, former chairman of IBM, argued that ethics are not important to economic competitiveness.

5. John Akers, former chairman of IBM, argued that ethics are not important to economic competitiveness. 1. Ethics is the study of how people should act. 2. Life Principles are set by your parents and do not change over time. 3. Ethical behavior always pays off financially for businesses. 4. Unethical behavior

More information

Chapter 12: Areas of knowledge Ethics (p. 363)

Chapter 12: Areas of knowledge Ethics (p. 363) Chapter 12: Areas of knowledge Ethics (p. 363) Moral reasoning (p. 364) Value-judgements Some people argue that moral values are just reflections of personal taste. For example, I don t like spinach is

More information

Journalists have a tremendous responsibility. Almost every day, we make

Journalists have a tremendous responsibility. Almost every day, we make Applied Ethics in Journalism A N I NTRODUCTION Patricia Ferrier Journalists have a tremendous responsibility. Almost every day, we make decisions that affect other people, decisions that might mean invading

More information

A Categorical Imperative. An Introduction to Deontological Ethics

A Categorical Imperative. An Introduction to Deontological Ethics A Categorical Imperative An Introduction to Deontological Ethics Better Consequences, Better Action? More specifically, the better the consequences the better the action from a moral point of view? Compare:

More information

Ethical Reasoning and the THSEB: A Primer for Coaches

Ethical Reasoning and the THSEB: A Primer for Coaches Ethical Reasoning and the THSEB: A Primer for Coaches THSEB@utk.edu philosophy.utk.edu/ethics/index.php FOLLOW US! Twitter: @thseb_utk Instagram: thseb_utk Facebook: facebook.com/thsebutk Co-sponsored

More information

AS UTILITARIANISM EXAMPLE EXAM ANSWERS

AS UTILITARIANISM EXAMPLE EXAM ANSWERS AS UTILITARIANISM EXAMPLE EXAM ANSWERS The general principles of Utilitarianism: consequential or teleological thinking in contrast to deontological thinking: The greatest happiness principle; AO1 Explain

More information

An Introduction to Ethics / Moral Philosophy

An Introduction to Ethics / Moral Philosophy An Introduction to Ethics / Moral Philosophy Ethics / moral philosophy is concerned with what is good for individuals and society and is also described as moral philosophy. The term is derived from the

More information

Rashdall, Hastings. Anthony Skelton

Rashdall, Hastings. Anthony Skelton 1 Rashdall, Hastings Anthony Skelton Hastings Rashdall (1858 1924) was educated at Oxford University. He taught at St. David s University College and at Oxford, among other places. He produced seminal

More information

Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the needs of the one (Spock and Captain Kirk).

Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the needs of the one (Spock and Captain Kirk). Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the needs of the one (Spock and Captain Kirk). Discuss Logic cannot show that the needs of the many outweigh the needs

More information

Chapter 2 Ethical Concepts and Ethical Theories: Establishing and Justifying a Moral System

Chapter 2 Ethical Concepts and Ethical Theories: Establishing and Justifying a Moral System Chapter 2 Ethical Concepts and Ethical Theories: Establishing and Justifying a Moral System Ethics and Morality Ethics: greek ethos, study of morality What is Morality? Morality: system of rules for guiding

More information

Undergraduate Calendar Content

Undergraduate Calendar Content PHILOSOPHY Note: See beginning of Section H for abbreviations, course numbers and coding. Introductory and Intermediate Level Courses These 1000 and 2000 level courses have no prerequisites, and except

More information

Tools Andrew Black CS 305 1

Tools Andrew Black CS 305 1 Tools Andrew Black CS 305 1 Critical Thinking Everyone thinks, all the time Why Critical Thinking? Much of our thinking is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed, or down-right prejudiced. This costs us

More information

Q2) The test of an ethical argument lies in the fact that others need to be able to follow it and come to the same result.

Q2) The test of an ethical argument lies in the fact that others need to be able to follow it and come to the same result. QUIZ 1 ETHICAL ISSUES IN MEDIA, BUSINESS AND SOCIETY WHAT IS ETHICS? Business ethics deals with values, facts, and arguments. Q2) The test of an ethical argument lies in the fact that others need to be

More information

Chapter 2: Reasoning about ethics

Chapter 2: Reasoning about ethics Chapter 2: Reasoning about ethics 2012 Cengage Learning All Rights reserved Learning Outcomes LO 1 Explain how important moral reasoning is and how to apply it. LO 2 Explain the difference between facts

More information

Notes on Moore and Parker, Chapter 12: Moral, Legal and Aesthetic Reasoning

Notes on Moore and Parker, Chapter 12: Moral, Legal and Aesthetic Reasoning Notes on Moore and Parker, Chapter 12: Moral, Legal and Aesthetic Reasoning The final chapter of Moore and Parker s text is devoted to how we might apply critical reasoning in certain philosophical contexts.

More information

Common Morality: Deciding What to Do 1

Common Morality: Deciding What to Do 1 Common Morality: Deciding What to Do 1 By Bernard Gert (1934-2011) [Page 15] Analogy between Morality and Grammar Common morality is complex, but it is less complex than the grammar of a language. Just

More information

Kantian Deontology - Part Two

Kantian Deontology - Part Two Kantian Deontology - Part Two Immanuel Kant s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals Nathan Kellen University of Connecticut October 1st, 2015 Table of Contents Hypothetical Categorical The Universal

More information

No Love for Singer: The Inability of Preference Utilitarianism to Justify Partial Relationships

No Love for Singer: The Inability of Preference Utilitarianism to Justify Partial Relationships No Love for Singer: The Inability of Preference Utilitarianism to Justify Partial Relationships In his book Practical Ethics, Peter Singer advocates preference utilitarianism, which holds that the right

More information

A Review on What Is This Thing Called Ethics? by Christopher Bennett * ** 1

A Review on What Is This Thing Called Ethics? by Christopher Bennett * ** 1 310 Book Review Book Review ISSN (Print) 1225-4924, ISSN (Online) 2508-3104 Catholic Theology and Thought, Vol. 79, July 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.21731/ctat.2017.79.310 A Review on What Is This Thing

More information

IS ACT-UTILITARIANISM SELF-DEFEATING?

IS ACT-UTILITARIANISM SELF-DEFEATING? IS ACT-UTILITARIANISM SELF-DEFEATING? Peter Singer Introduction, H. Gene Blocker UTILITARIANISM IS THE ethical theory that we ought to do what promotes the greatest happiness for the greatest number of

More information

Kant. Deontological Ethics

Kant. Deontological Ethics Kant 1 Deontological Ethics An action's moral value is determined by the nature of the action itself and the agent's motive DE contrasts with Utilitarianism which says that the goal or consequences of

More information

Deontological Ethics. Kant. Rules for Kant. Right Action

Deontological Ethics. Kant. Rules for Kant. Right Action Deontological Ethics Kant An action's moral value is determined by the nature of the action itself and the agent's motive DE contrasts with Utilitarianism which says that the goal or consequences of an

More information

DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS

DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS In ethical theories, if we mainly focus on the action itself, then we use deontological ethics (also known as deontology or duty ethics). In duty ethics, an action is morally right

More information

UNALTERABLE LIFESTYLES

UNALTERABLE LIFESTYLES UNALTERABLE LIFESTYLES 1 UNALTERABLE LIFESTYLES Dec. 5, 2012 Sermon in a sentence: We need the Spirit of God to empower us to live a lifestyle that pleases Him. Scriptures: 1 Cor. 6:9-20 1 Cor. 6:9-20

More information

Consequentialism, Incoherence and Choice. Rejoinder to a Rejoinder.

Consequentialism, Incoherence and Choice. Rejoinder to a Rejoinder. 1 Consequentialism, Incoherence and Choice. Rejoinder to a Rejoinder. by Peter Simpson and Robert McKim In a number of books and essays Joseph Boyle, John Finnis, and Germain Grisez (hereafter BFG) have

More information

Definitions: Values and Moral Values

Definitions: Values and Moral Values Definitions: Values and Moral Values 1. Values those things that we care about; those things that matter to us; those goals or ideals to which we aspire and by which we measure ourselves and others in

More information

A Framework for Thinking Ethically

A Framework for Thinking Ethically A Framework for Thinking Ethically Learning Objectives: Students completing the ethics unit within the first-year engineering program will be able to: 1. Define the term ethics 2. Identify potential sources

More information

Look at this famous painting what s missing? What could YOU deduce about the value of human life from this picture? If there is no God then.

Look at this famous painting what s missing? What could YOU deduce about the value of human life from this picture? If there is no God then. * Look at this famous painting what s missing? What could YOU deduce about the value of human life from this picture? If there is no God then. If there is NO GOD then. Do we have intrinsic worth / value?

More information

Ethics. Duty, Values, Motives, and Utilitarianism

Ethics. Duty, Values, Motives, and Utilitarianism Ethics Duty, Values, Motives, and Utilitarianism How selfish are we? Do you think it makes more sense to say that people are basically good and corrupted by society, or that people are basically bad and

More information

The Experience Machine and Mental State Theories of Wellbeing

The Experience Machine and Mental State Theories of Wellbeing The Journal of Value Inquiry 33: 381 387, 1999 EXPERIENCE MACHINE AND MENTAL STATE THEORIES OF WELL-BEING 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. 381 The Experience Machine and Mental

More information