Ethics: Theory and Practice Jacques P. Thiroux Keith W. Krasemann

Setting Up a Moral System: Basic Assumptions and Basic Principles Chapter Eight Setting Up a Moral System: Basic Assumptions and Basic Principles

Conflicting General Moral Sense Consequentialism v. Nonconsequentialism We must consider the consequences of our decisions, acts, and rules, but at the same time be aware of and avoid the end-justifies-the-means problem

Conflicting General Moral Sense Self v. Other-interestedness There are problems associated with a totally self-interested basis for morality; therefore, I agree with the utilitarian approach of doing what is in the best interest of everyone

Conflicting General Moral Sense Act v. Rule In a moral system, we require freedom (act) and yet also stability and order (rule) Emotion v. Reason In a moral system, we require reason without excluding emotion

Basic Assumptions What constitutes a workable and livable moral system: Rationally based and yet not devoid of emotion Logically consistent but not rigid and inflexible Universality or general application to all humanity and yet be applicable in practical ways to individuals and situations Able to be taught and promulgated Ability to resolve conflicts

Including Rational and Emotional Aspects Moral issues have an emotional dimension But we cannot make moral decisions solely based on emotion alone Feelings are too unreliable and individualistic Another basis that is fairer and more objective is needed

Including Rational and Emotional Aspects Reasoning implies several things: Logical argument, which includes supplying empirical evidence in support of one’s position Logical consistency, which involves avoiding fallacies and making sure that one’s argument follows smoothly from one point to the next until it arrives at a logical conclusion

Including Rational and Emotional Aspects Reason (cont’d) A certain detachment from feelings; this springs from reasoning’s formality, which forces one to consider the truth and validity of what the individual and others are thinking and saying A common means by which differences in feelings, opinions, and thoughts can be arbitrated

Logical Consistency Logical consistency creates stability within a moral system But a moral system that says something can never in any situation be done morally is too rigid Therefore, we must strive for logical consistency but allow for enough flexibility so that the system remains applicable

Universality and Particularity Morality that attempts to help all human beings relate meaningfully must strive to possess universal applicability Particularity But one’s moral system should not become so generalized and abstract that it cannot be applied to particular situations and individuals

Ability to Be Taught and Promulgated If any moral system is to be applied to more than one person, it must be able to be promulgated, that is, laid out for people to see and understand It should also be teachable so that others can learn about is regardless of whether they wish to accept or reject it

Ability to Resolve Conflicts A workable moral system must be able to resolve conflicts among duties and obligations, and even among its participants If any moral theory or system proposes a series of duties and obligations that human beings ought to perform or be responsible for, yet fails to tell people what they should do when these conflicts arise, then the entire theory is thrown into doubt

Basic Principles, Individual Freedom, and Their Justification The problems of morality center essentially upon two areas: How to attain unity and order by working with basic principles so as to avoid the chaos of situationism and intuitionism How to allow individual and group freedom to work with such principles meaningfully

Basic Principles, Individual Freedom, and Their Justification The Value of Life principle states that human begins should revere life and accept death The Principle of Goodness or Rightness is ultimate to any moral system, and it requires that human beings attempt to do three things: Promote goodness over badness and do good Cause no harm or badness Prevent badness or harm

Basic Principles, Individual Freedom, and Their Justification The Principle of Justice or Fairness This is distributive justice, meaning that human beings should treat other human beings justly and fairly when attempting to distribute goodness and badness among them Theories about, and ways of distributing, good and bad have been fully described in Chapter 6

Priority of the Basic Principles There are two ways of establishing the priority of the five moral principles In the first, or general, way, the principles are classified into two major categories based upon logical and empirical priority

Priority of the Basic Principles First Category: Value of Life principle Because without life there can be no morality whatever Principle of Goodness Because it is the ultimate principle of any moral system Both are logically and empirically prior to the other three principles

Priority of the Basic Principles Second category: Principle of Justice of Fairness Because in most human actions more than just one person is involved, and some form of distribution of goodness and badness must be established Principle of Truth Telling or Honesty Because it follows from the need to be fair and just in one’s dealings with others

Priority of the Basic Principles Second category (cont’d): Principle of Individual Freedom Because each individual is the only one truly able to decide what is good for himself

Priority of the Basic Principles In the second, or particular way, priority is determined only be referring to the actual situation or context in which moral actions and decisions occur

Situation or Context Importance of the situation and context of moral problems and basic principles The situation or context is important because morality always occurs in particular situations to particular people, never in the abstract We must start from a broad yet humanly applicable, near-absolute principle so that there will be some basis for acting morally and avoiding immorality

Humanitarian Ethics Humanitarian Ethics is an eclectic approach, a “mixed deotological,” or combined consequentialist-nonconsequentialist and act-rule, approach to morality How did these two moral issues hold up under the five principles? Living together before marriage Rape