Transcript ch 11 notes - Aurora City School

Chapter 11
MORALITY
MORALITY DEFINED
Basis for a choice among significant options
 Right vs. Wrong
 Among the first words babies learn are good
and bad
 Samuel Butler defined it as, “the customs of
one’s country, and the current feelings of one’s
peers.”

 Divided
by subgroups even further ex. which peers?
which part of the country?
MORALITY AND THE ARTS
Arts have played a prominent part in
influencing moral attitudes
 Some encourage censorship “for the good of
society”
 The Scarlet Letter- questions if an inflexible
moral code was more sinful than an adulterous
relationship which grew out of sincere love.

Picasso’s Guernica remains
one of the most potent
statements about the horrors
of attacking an enemy city
and killing civilians.
Sentiment has been echoed
by Christians and Muslims,
by opponents of the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan
Non-supporters of war ask
whether even a just cause
can excuse acts of
inhumanity
OUTRAGE OVER MORAL WRONGS
FIVE MORAL QUESTIONS IN PHILOSOPHYDoes the end ever justify the means?
 Are punishment and the fear of punishment the
only things that keep us from doing wrong?
 Doe the needs of society outweigh the needs of
the individual?
 Should all economic resources be controlled by
individuals or communities?
 Are results all that matter, or do intentions
count also?

MORAL SYSTEMS
Network of related values on which moral
choices are based is called a moral system
 Most religions believe a divinity has set down
certain rules that must be followed whether or
not they interfere with your personal desires
 Usually outlined in the holy book

ALTERNATE MORAL SYSTEMS
Based on reason, not faith
 Reason determines what is right and therefore
doing wrong is irrational
 May consult a moral authority (philosopher,
friend, religious official)
 If the two sources offer different opinions,
which one do we follow?

 Intuition?
Self-interest? Follow moral authority?
GLAUCON
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Everyone does the right thing
out of motives that have
nothing to do with reason or
innate goodness
Society expects virtue to be
only an appearance, the
result of societal pressure
SOCRATES

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Always on side of reason
Nothing bad can happen to a
good person
Good is done for it’s own
sake
“To know the good is to do
the good”
MORALITY OF SELF-INTEREST

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Plato admits majority of people
(governed and governing) will be
driven by self-interest unless
held in check by one supreme
ruler
Leader should be motivated
solely by reason, advises rules
because he has a clear vision of
justice
Who chooses the credentials of
the “wisest person in society?”
Only the wisest could do that!
PHILOSOPHER KING
-Transcendentalist- he  “ ‘That government is best
refused to pay a tax
which governs least’ ….I
for the privilege of
also believe- ‘That
voting, announced he
was “seceding from
government is best which
the Union” and
governs not at all…’”
moved to a woodland
hut.
-Individualism
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
MACHIAVELLI

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
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Wrote The Prince, which offers
advice to all aspiring rulers
Suggests leaders intimidate,
exhibit signs of their power, to
impress their subjects
Did not trust citizens enough to
make rational decisions
Machiavellian-reference to
cynical individuals who
considered themselves superior
THOMAS HOBBES

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Tight autocratic control was
necessary because the
masses were evil and solely
out for themselves
Leviathan
Monarch must be feared or
order will disintegrate
“ENLIGHTENED SELF-INTEREST”-SERVING THE SELF ORDER TO
MAKE AN EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT THAT PROVIDES BETTER
FOR THE PEOPLE THAN THEY COULD FOR THEMSELVES
ADAM SMITH

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Economic well-being is the
guiding force in humans
Greed is not necessarily a
bad thing as long as you
don’t break laws or harm
others
Laissez-faire
Modern economists agree
there is no such thing as an
ideally self-regulating market
AYN RAND

Capitalism was close to
divine

Believed in encouraging the
strong and self-reliant to
make the most of their
talents without spending a
lifetime helping others (they
would grow weaker and lose
their incentive to help
themselves)
ECONOMICS AND SELF-INTEREST
ALTRUISM
Transcends self-interest
 Some argue what seems like altruism really
springs from selfish motives

 Donating
an organ, firemen rushing into a burning
building, Secret Service agent taking a bullet for the
president
UTILITARIANISM- BENTHAM /MILL
Greatest good for the greatest number of
people
 Assign positive or negative values the action
might cause for the most people, account for
duration and intensity, do the arithmetic and
get your answer
 Allows for self-interest to be defended and
restricted

We are born with an innate
sense of right and wrong
 Categorical Imperative- an
intuitive classification of
actions and choices as
morally acceptable or
unacceptable
 We should ask, “Would it be
ok for everyone else to do
this?”
 Parable of the lost wallet

IMMANUEL KANT
RELIGION AND MORALITY
Major world religions provide moral orientation
fro most of the world’s population
 All believe that the world was not created for
humans to do as they please
 Humans owe an obligation to God or the moral
order of the universe
 None are free to behave irresponsibly toward
themselves, others, or the Earth

THE MORALITY OF WORK-STUDS TERKEL
As people describe their work they reveal their
cherished values (the basis for their decisions).
 For job seekers, times of prosperity have
offered the opportunity to search for a career
that matches their talents and desires. Not
finding one diminishes their self-worth. “Liking”
a job can seem a luxury, and can create a
moral dilemma, should they work even if it is
dangerous?

MORAL RELATIVISM
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People who feel
uncomfortable with an
absolute “should” are
apt to reject the word in
favor of moral relativism
“Who’s to say what is
right?” “What’s good for
one may not be good for
another.”
MORAL RELATIVITY
Flexibility and tolerance
 Most relativists point out that genocide, prison
and torture have been inflicted by those
believing there is only one truth
 Globalization had led to increased contact with
variety of belief systems causing us to question
western viewpoints

“Being human is an art, and nowhere is that
assumption more critical than in moral
matters…a ringing declaration in the
humanities is that moral integrity is worth the
risk.”