Week 2

Ethical Theories

Ethics A good starting

point.
The reputation of a thousand
years is determined by the
conduct of one hour.
Japanese proverb

Ethics the dictionary

Merriam Webster -

The embodiment of those values

that the person or organization
feels are important, and spell our
proper conduct and appropriate
action.
No. It is the study of the different
theories of what is good or bad
right or wrong in human conduct.

Ethical Choices
What you find is that the tough
ethical choices are not between
good and evil, but rather between
two goods:
Truth versus Loyalty

Individual versus Community

Short-term versus Long-term

Justice versus Mercy

What is Ethics?
What is Ethics? What are some Ethical types?

There is no one set of rules, like no one
right way to get to Drexel or Widener.
There are a number of different theories
about what is good or bad right or wrong in
human conduct. Ethics is the study of such
theories. Hence it could be said:

Hitler held an Ethical theory that was
unethical.

Moral Theory
Moral theory in Western Ethics is
typically divided into those theories
where the results are most important or
those theories where the rights, duties,
or obligations are most important.
Consequentialism
Deontology

Consequentialism
What is good or bad right or wrong in human
conduct depends on the consequences.
a) utilitarianism. says right action tries to
create the greatest good for the greatest
number. Mill and Bentham read this on a
hedonistic calculus (pain and pleasure).
b) Ethical egoism. Typically the
philosophy of Ayn Rand, though sometimes
ascribed to Hobbes. Says we should pursue
what is really in our best interest and often
contrasts with altruism.

Deontology
Deontology: What is good or bad depends on
the rights, duties or obligations. (From deon =
Greek for duty).

a) Kantian deontology. (See the question on
Kant). Holds there are absolute rules we must
follow no matter what, such as do not lie, be
benevolent, etc.
b) Lockean deontology. Endowed with certain
inalienable rights. Belief in natural rights
such as life, liberty, property, pursuit of
happiness.

Other Theories
There are other forms of Ethics, like
virtue ethics (character, habits),
perhaps there is a distinct feminist
ethics, or a kind of religious ethics
that is not simply a deontology (an
ethics of love for instance).

Virtue Ethics
The Good Life as seen in Aristotle
or a modern exponent such as Robert
Solomon
What Is the Highest of All Goods
Achievable by Action?
Life of Pleasure or Wealth
Political Life
Contemplative Life

The Function of Man: to reason, to do

what man does best.

Utilitarianism
What is utilitarianism? What are some
problems with it?

Utilitarianism is the theory that good
conduct creates the greatest good for
the greatest number, while bad
increases suffering. (Every Ethical
theory is a theory about what you
should/should not do, is good/bad to
do).

Problems with Utilitarianism

a) What is the good to be produced?

As I joke in class, you can put cocaine in the
ventilation system. Everybody is happy
right? Well, no everybody just feels happy
(until we are all sent to jail).

If you put a starving child in front of me,

I know what her greatest good is (to be
fed). But what is the greatest good of the
average American College student? Sleep?
Beer?

Problems with Utilitarianism

2
b) Utilitarianism may sacrifice individuals.

Again, as I joke in class, we can all lessen
our tax burden by killing all the criminals
in prison. We dont tell them we are going
to kill them, we tell them we are going to
let them go. Then when they are all
happy, we get rid of them. (I am sure
some bright engineer can figure out how).
Of course this is ridiculous not to mention
reminiscent of the Nazis.

Problems with Utilitarianism

3
c) Utilitarianism taken to its logical
extreme is very demanding.

For example, if you believe Rachels guilt
trip, then you are supposed to spend your
money on famine relief instead of the
movies. In fact, any time you find two
people worse off then you are, you are
supposed to do what you can to improve
the greater good of the greater number.

Utilitarianism external links

www.bradpriddy.com/rachels/UT.ppt
Peter Singer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=MUt4naUYz0I

Ethical Egoism

Psychological Egoism (Rachels): We

are incapable of unselfishness. (We are
always selfish).

Psychological Egoism (alternative): To
the extent we act voluntarily, we
always do what we think is in our best
interest.

Ethical Egoism
Psychological egoism is a psychological view,
i.e., a view about how we think. Ethical egoism
is an ethical view, i.e., a view about what is bad
or good, or what we should or shouldnt do.

Ethical Egoism (Rachels): We should do
whatever we want regardless of how it affects
others.

Ethical Egoism (alternative): We should do
what is really in our best interest.

Ethical Egoism external

links
http://users.ipfw.edu/caseldij/Ethics/T
he%20Ethics%20of%20Self
%20Interest.ppt
Ayn Rand Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=go62Gl7aik4

Kantian Deontology
Immanuel Kant was an 18th century
German philosopher who believed in
absolute rules such as do not lie, be
beneficent and do not commit suicide.
These rules were to be followed no
matter the consequences. So, to use
Rachels example, even when an
inquiring murderer asks us where his
victim has gone, we are required to tell
the murderer.

Kantian Deontology
Kants absolute rules are derived from
the two formulations of the categorical
imperative:

a) Act only according to that maxim
you can will to be a universal law.
b)
Treat others as an ends (in a
kingdom of ends) and never as a
means merely.

Kant and lying

In the first formulation, you are to take a
maxim I should lie, and universalize it.
Suppose: What if everyone lied all the
time? Kant argues that lying would
cease to make sense, i.e., result in a
conceptual contradiction. Kant is not
concerned with any practical
consequences, say to education, he is
concerned that we avoid the conceptual
contradiction.

Kant and Lying 2

In the second formulation, Kant
argues that lying to someone treats
them as if they cant make decisions
on their owni.e., it denies their
rationality. Kant believes that our
rational nature is of supreme
importance. In order to be good
(have a good will) we must be able to
make decisions ourselves.

Religion and Kantian

Deontology
http://users.ipfw.edu/caseldij/Ethics/
The%20Ethics%20of%20Duty.ppt