Transcript Obligation_or_Happiness

Obligation or Happiness?
Christian Ed 10
What is morality?
Think
Pair
Share (within a group of four &
come up with a standard definition)
Morality
A set of norms or rules that determine the
sinfulness or goodness of an act.
(the goodness or badness of an act)
To “be moral” indicates that you are acting in
accordance with the norms or rules that
make up morality.
What questions should we ask about
morality?
 Morality is a set of norms
or rules that determine
the sinfulness or goodness
of an act.
To “be moral” indicates that
you are acting in
accordance with the
norms or rules that make
up morality.
Questions:
Why be
moral in the
first place?
The Myth of Gyges
Glaucon’s Argument
- Once invisible, Glaucon argues, a person will do all they
want knowing they cannot be caught. They will steal,
murder, and cheat their way to power. They will pursue all
hedonistic desires, having sex with who ever they want to.
- However, Glaucon explains, since people do not have the
ring they cannot act like this.
- Because people do not want to be cheated or murdered
they enter into social contracts with other people: you do
not harm me and I will not harm you.
- Thus people are moral or act moral because they have to
not because they want to. This is a Morality of Obligation.
Socrates’ counter argument
• Socrates argues that a person acts moral not out
of obligation but out of a desire for happiness
• A person will act virtuous not because they feel
they have to but because they know that being
virtuous is a better way and ultimately will lead to
greater happiness than simply acting on
spontaneous desires
What is Glaucon’s response?
Glaucon responds by saying that a virtuous shepherd
would become corrupt if given the Ring of Gyges
Socrates’ response?
Socrates’ Response
- Socrates retorts that if a virtuous shepherd with the Ring of
Gyges started to steal, rape and murder, then the
shepherd was not virtuous in the first place
- We see that Glaucon believes that doing whatever you
want is the good life and Socrates believes that being
virtuous is the good life
- The good life is a life that brings a person the greatest
amount of happiness
- Therefore Socrates argues that people are moral because
of their desire for happiness – we call this a Morality of
Happiness
Why be moral?
 Morality of Obligation
 Morality of Happiness
If we choose a morality of
happiness…
 What do we need to
ask about happiness?
Happiness
 What is happiness?
 How does one achieve
happiness?
 Should one be
concerned with only
their own happiness
or should they be
concerned with others
happiness?
How we answer
these questions
will determine
our morality
What is morality?
We have answered this question from a purely
definitional point of view – but this seems to be
lacking – the goodness or badness of an act – ok –
What is morality?
so how do we determine the goodness or badness of an act?
Who determines it?
How do we know they are right? . . .
When we think about it, Morality is Rules and Rules is
Morality – in this sense everyone has a morality –
humans live by rules
Follow the rules – this is a rule
Break the rules – this is a rule
Watch what you eat – this is a rule
Eat whatever you want – this is a rule
Obey authority – this is a rule
Ignore authority – this is a rule
Don’t have sex before marriage – this is a rule
Have sex whenever you want – this is a rule
Who establishes rules?
Authorities
Authorities
- They very word “authority” seems to
connote a negative response
- It is quite common for people to argue that
those who follow an authority are
conformists – they allow the authority to
dictate their lives
Authorities
This is pure rubbish. All people conform to rules and
thus to authority. Our rules and authorities may
differ, but we still conform.
- Example: Two Punks (Blue Mohawks, Leather Collars,
Piercings, and typical Punk paraphernalia).
- Punk is a countercultural way of life. (therefore defying
“authority”)
- However, there are lead authorities in the world of Punk
– from Punk Rock Artists, Punk Clothing Line, Websites,
Peers, and so forth. There are rules to being Punk. And all
Punks conform to these rules – otherwise they are not
Punks.
Authorities
- So the essential question becomes
Which authority will you conform to?
Which rules are you going to follow?
- Thus we return to the beginning:
you will follow the rules and authority
that you think will bring you the greatest
degree of happiness
If you define happiness as…
 Pleasure
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you will have sex with multiple partners
you will try drugs
you will cheat on homework, tests, and projects
you will get drunk at parties
you will disobey your parents
you will think Mass is pointless
you will think that school is a waste of time
you are essentially a follower of Glaucon – given the chance to
do what you want when you want you’ll take it
If you define happiness as…
 Virtue
 you will sometimes feel obligated to do things you don’t want
to do (nobody really enjoys midterm exams) but you will study
and not cheat because you believe that to do the opposite will
not bring happiness
 you will feel obligated to go to mass and there probably are
times when you don’t feel like going yet during mass there are
times you feel better about yourself and your life (giving of
peace, prayer, etc)
 while this may sound like a morality of obligation it is not, for
you are doing these things because you believe they make you
a more virtuous person and thus a happier person in the long
run
Authorities
Choose two people or things (ex:
magazines, tv) that are authorities, aka,
have influence, in your life
Write one paragraph ( minimum 6
sentences) about each authority
Explain how they/it influence you and
give examples.