Transcript TC chapter 9– TCing about moral issues

TC chapter 9–
TCing about moral issues
• One of the most challenging
and complex areas of life is
the realm of moral issues
and decisions.
• See the list of decisions
outlined on pg 370.
• Share the following:
• How does it affect others?
• May be debatable; no clearcut right or wrong
• Likely to be positive and
negative consequences
• May be guided by
committed values and
reflect a moral reasoning
process
• Involve the concept of
moral responsibility
Aristotle:
The ultimate purpose in studying ethics
is not as it is in other inquiries, the
attainment of theoretical knowledge;
we are not conducting this inquiry in
order to know what virtue is, but in
order to become good, else there
would be no advantage in studying it.
Socrates:
For I do nothing but go about persuading you all,
old and young alike, not to take thought for your
persons or your properties, but first and chiefly to
care about the greatest improvement of your soul.
I tell you that virtue is not given by money, but
that from virtue comes money and every other
good of man, public as well as private. This is my
teaching.
What is his moral imperative?
• Ethics: from GRK ethos,
refers to moral purpose
or character
• Morals: from L moralis,
meaning “custom”
• Essentially equivalent;
mean the judgment of
goodness or badness of
action and character
See pg 373
• We have arrived at a
time in which we have
eliminated most
external dangers.
• Now our greatest threat
is systemically human—
ourselves.
• See pg 374
• Gandhi, 375. see the
composition of this
scene.
See pg 377, moral compass
• Conscience . . . . A
psychological theory of
morality, sort of a
working brain machine.
Depends on our
influences. Justifies
travesty.
• I do not know . . . An
agnostic theory. No way
to know—relativist.
Justifies travesty.
• Improve my own situation
. . . Pragmatic theory.
Justifies travesty.
• God or scriptures . . .
Theist theory. Note that
this is entirely based on
scripture, religions
conflict, so one must be
right. Also, justifies
travesty.
• Whatever makes me
happy—hedonist theory.
Allows for conflict when
your happiness affects
another, or vice versa.
Justifies travesty.
• Advice of authority—
depends on the authority
and their compass;
similar to theist theory.
Justifies travesty.
• Best for all involved:
altruistic theory. Golden
rule. Death by a
thousand cuts. What
about conflicting
interests?
Thinking activity 9.3
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Lifeboat
Whistle-blower
Mad bomber
Patient
Friend
Reason and justice
• Morality is best defined
by concepts of reason
(not emotion) and
justice (universal rules)
Immanuel Kant
• Categorical imperative:
• Act only according to
that maxim by which
you can at the same
time will that it should
become a universal law.
• Act so that you treat
humanity, whether in
your own person or in
that of another, always
as an end and never as
a means only. (each
person is an
independent agent, not
a manipulable of yours.)
See 390, ETHICS AND EMOTIONS
• Care more. That helps.
Avarice sucks.
• Accept responsibility for
your moral choices.
(think back to Diana;
This american life’s
photojournalist)
• Promote happiness;
diminish suffering.
• Seek to develop an
informed intuition—
develop is the key
Discover the natural law of human
nature
• Any examples? (see pgs
396-7)
• Good luck with that . . .
Abraham Maslow, psychologist
• Studied self-actualized
people. (those who
reach their full
potential) He studied
the healthiest, as
opposed to most psychs
who studied the
abnormal.
• Famous for Maslow’s
Hierarchy of needs.
Maslow’s findings
• Morally mature,
psychologically healthy
people think, decide, and
act in accordance with
thoughtfully developed
moral standards, are openminded about their moral
beliefs, defend them with
reasoned argument when
challenged, and change or
modify them when they are
shown to be false or
unjustified.
• Their conclusions are based
on their own reflective
analysis (not their cultural
norms), and are fully
committed to living these
values.
The disparity between intellect and character
• Enron: The Smartest
Guys in the Room
• GasLand
• Hot Coffee
• How can the Enron
debacle/frakking
woes/tort reform be
viewed as a failing of one
or more of the 7 kinds of
moral compasses?
• A Failing of reason and
justice?
• A Failing Kant’s
categorical imperative(s)?
• A failing of selfactualization?