Transcript PHIL 1003: Introduction

PHIL 1003:
Ethics and Society
Introduction
Dr Alexandra Cook
What is a “university”?
• Tertiary institution—next step after
secondary studies
• Medieval universities—humanities,
theology, medicine and law
• Connotes:
– universality (universe), whole
– all-encompassing human knowledge,
– academic freedom: free and open discussion
of ideas without external interference.
What we do
• Think critically;
• Ask questions;
• Do not expect final, definitive answers to
philosophical questions!
• E.g. what is the good life, and how do we
live it?
• What is morality?
• Should we be moral?
Ethics
It’s all around us!
What are “ethics”?
• From Greek and Latin words for
manners;
• Ethics refers to how we conduct
ourselves in relation to others.
Examples of ethical questions
– Is it all right to lie or steal in certain situations?
– Must we report a crime committed by a
friend?
– May stockbrokers take funds entrusted to
them by investors?
– May corporations pollute the environment?
– Is it all right to accept a bribe?
– May politicians lie to the people?
Fields of applied ethics
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Business/corporate ethics
Ethical investing/Islamic finance
Media ethics
Computer ethics
Professional ethics, codes of
– Legal ethics: the Bar
– Medical ethics, code of the AMA
– Scientific research: human/animal subjects.
What is “society”?
• From Latin, “socius,” companion
• A group of people formed for any reason,
– e.g. people born in Hong Kong
• Aristotle: highest society is the polis—
– organized to achieve the highest good of
which man is capable.
Examples
– to pursue common interests, hobbies
– to achieve political ends, e.g. a political party
– to organize social events, for fun, e.g. the
Philosophy Society;
– to change how we behave toward the
environment: e.g. Green Sense.
Example of a Society:
HKU Philosophy Dept
Ethics and Society topics
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What is morality? Do we really value it? Plato
Virtue/happiness, the Polis: Aristotle
Religion as basis for moral society: Augustine
Rulers/states should not be moral: Machiavelli
Society based on rights of men: Locke, Rousseau
Liberalism: Mill
Society based on interests of workers: Marx
Environmental ethics: Leopold, Serres, and Gore.