Transcript Higher / Int. 2 Philosophy

Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
Philosophy – Moral Philosophy
‘The Master said, The man of
wisdom is never in two minds; the
man of benevolence never worries;
the man of courage is never afraid.’
Confucius
Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
Our Learning
NAB returns for Dyce Pupils
(Resits arranged)
Moral Stepping Stones – dilemmas
To the notes – a brief history of moral
thought…
Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
Philosophy
Morality
Motive
Consequence
=
From the Greek ‘Philosophia’
meaning love of wisdom
=
(ethics) the study of the concepts
involved in practical reasoning –
good, right, duty, obligation, virtue,
freedom….
=
Intention, moral or goal that
someone has for doing
something
=
The results or after-effects of
an action…
Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
Stepping Stones Game
Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
Moral Stepping Stones
Dilemma One
A pregnant woman leading a group of people out of a cave on a coast is
stuck in the mouth of that cave. In a short time high tide will be upon them,
and unless she is unstuck, they will all be drowned except the pregnant
woman whose head is out of the cave. [But, fortunately, or unfortunately,
someone has with them a stick of dynamite.] There seems no way to get the
pregnant woman loose without using [that] dynamite which will inevitably
kill her; but if they do not use it everyone will drown. What should they do?
Dilemma Two
Ronnie Smith, a quite competent swimmer, is out for a leisurely stroll. During
the course of his walk he passes by a deserted pier from which a teenage
boy who apparently cannot swim has fallen into the water. The boy is
screaming for help.
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To the Notes
Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
(Moral) Relativism v Absolutism
There is no objective
A Moral Command or
standard of morality, that prohibition that’s true for all
right & wrong are relative
time, in all places and in
to time, place and person
all situations.
Absolutist
Relativist
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ABSOLUTISM v RELATIVISM
Hands up for RELATIVISM!
If you thought that all morals were relative,
what is your view on Thomas Hamilton,
Harold Shipman, the Twin Towers attacks,
even Adolf Hitler?
Do you see the
difficulty?
Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
ABSOLUTISM v RELATIVISM
Hands up for Absolutism!
If you thought that all morals were absolute
(fixed), how do you explain that previously
homosexuality was considered wrong,
women voting wrong and slavery perfectly
acceptable?
We could add capital
punishment, corporal punishment, child
labour etc etc….
Do you see the difficulty?
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TWO TYPES OF MORAL THEORY
TELEOLOGICAL V DEONTOLOGICAL
Teleological Theories
look forward to the
end of an act to decide
what is right and wrong.
Deontological Theories
look backwards to
decide right and wrong.
TELOS = END
MOTIVES / RULES
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TWO TYPES OF MORAL THEORY
TELEOLOGICAL /
CONSEQUENTIALIST
ACT
DEONTOLOGICAL
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GLOSSARY STOP!
(MORAL) RELATIVISM
(MORAL) ABSOLUTISM
HEDONISM
TELEOLOGICAL
DEONTOLOGICAL
INTRINSIC
EXTRINSIC
Higher / Int.2 Philosophy 15
Our Learning
NAB returns for Dyce Pupils
(Resits arranged)
Moral Stepping Stones – dilemmas
To the notes – a brief history of moral
thought…