Basic Moral Perspectives Chapter 12 ,Part 2 Basic Moral Perspectives Six basic “takes” on the criteria of right and wrong © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. We’ve seen there is room for reasoning about moral questions>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Is an individual applying a general principle to a specific case? If so, what is it? Is it reasonable? Is the argument valid? Is he/she treating similar cases in a similar way? If apparently not, the burden is on him/her to explain how they are different. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

This brings us to the most basic of all moral principles. “Basic Moral Perspectives” © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Perspective # 1 “Moral relativism” What makes something right or wrong is what one’s society thinks. Example: Does your society think extra-marital sex is wrong? Then it IS wrong for you to have extra-marital sex. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Problems! What counts as a society??? © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Even within a society there usually are conflicting views about what is right or wrong. e.g., conflicting views within American society about gay marriage. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Suppose your society thinks it is o.k. to kill Americans. Then, as an American, I think it is WRONG for you to kill Americans. But as a Relativist, I think it is RIGHT for you to kill Americans. Moral Relativism seems to put me in a contradictory position! © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Religious Relativism” Perspective # 2 “Religious Relativism” What makes something right or wrong is what one’s religion thinks. Example: Does your religion think pre-marital sex is wrong? Then it IS wrong for people in your religion. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Similar problems as with Perspective # 1 What counts as a religion? Are Catholics and Protestants one religion or two? Are you still a Christian if you haven’t gone to church in umpteen years, etc. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Even within a religion there usually are conflicting views about what is right or wrong. e.g., conflicts within the United Church of Christ about gay marriage. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. As a Catholic (say), I believe Allah is a false God and should not be worshipped, period. But as a religious relativist, I believe Muslims should worship Allah. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Religious Absolutism” (Divine Command Ethics) Perspective # 3 “Religious Absolutism” (Divine Command Ethics) What makes something right or wrong is what “the correct” religion thinks. Example: Does the correct religion think pre-marital sex is wrong? Then it IS wrong, period. For everyone. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Main problem: Which religion is “correct”? © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Perspective # 4 “Consequentialism” What makes an act right or wrong is its outcome. Always act so as to maximize happiness! (Known as “Utilitarianism.”) © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Problem: It seems some actions are wrong regardless of their outcomes. For example, wouldn’t slavery be wrong even if the sum-total of happiness in the world would be greater with slavery? © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

“Deontological Ethics” Perspective # 5 “Deontological Ethics” Right/wrong are intrinsic properties of an act. Example: It is wrong for anyone anywhere to break a promise. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Problem: How do you KNOW which acts are intrinsically good or right? One answer: Those acts in which you treat others as ends, not as means. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Perspective # 6 “Virtue Ethics” VE identifies the characteristics of the ethically best life. Then it says that one should develop those traits (“virtues”) that best enable one to lead such a life. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. For example, the ethically best life would involve being honest with others, lending a helping hand, and so forth. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Problem: What is the “ethically best life”? We can’t say, unless we know what the purpose of life is. But who is to say what that is? And perhaps there is no “purpose” of life to begin with. © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Review: Six Ethical Perspectives: Moral Relativism Religious Relativism Religious Absolutism Consequentialism (Utilitarianism is the most famous version) Deontological Ethics Virtue Ethics © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Exercise! © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What perspective does this reflect? “Yes, many innocent civilians have been killed in Iraq. But in the long run, the world will be a better place if Iraq is a free country.” What perspective does this reflect? Consequentialism Moral relativism Deontological ethics © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What perspective does this reflect? “Sure, we might benefit from expanding Highway 99. But it’s wrong to seize someone’s property. The right to your property is the most basic right of all!” What perspective does this reflect? Consequentialism Moral relativism Deontological ethics © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What perspective does this reflect? “Sure, we might benefit from expanding Highway 99. But it’s wrong to seize someone’s property, at least in this country. In our society, property rights are fundamental. What perspective does this reflect? Consequentialism Moral relativism Deontological ethics None of the above © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What perspective does this reflect? “Sure, we might benefit from expanding Highway 99. But it’s wrong to seize someone’s property! You have a God-given right to own property.” What perspective does this reflect? Consequentialism Moral relativism Deontological ethics None of the above © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What perspective does this reflect? “If a company doesn’t want to hire a woman, nobody should force it to. A company has a right to hire whomever they want!” What perspective does this reflect? Consequentialism Moral relativism Deontological ethics None of the above © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What perspective does this reflect? “You have to balance a person’s rights against the common good. Pornography isn’t good for a society, and we should get rid of it.” What perspective does this reflect? Consequentialism Moral relativism Deontological ethics None of the above © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What perspective does this reflect? “Gay marriage? I think it is only fair! The right to happiness is a basic human right.” What perspective does this reflect? Consequentialism Moral relativism Deontological ethics None of the above © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What perspective does this reflect? “Gay marriage? I am against it. Once gays start marrying, next thing brothers and sisters will get married. Then moms and sons. Society will come apart at the seams. What perspective does this reflect? Consequentialism Moral relativism Deontological ethics None of the above © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

© 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Overall summary: Value judgment/moral v.j. Moral principle Two principles of moral reasoning Moral relativism Religious relativism Religious absolutism Consequentialism Deontological ethics Virtue ethics © 2012 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.