Theories of Ethics

Utilitarianism Jeremey Bentham 1748-1832 All living things are motivated solely to pursue pleasure and avoid pain To be rational is to be impartial The right thing to do is to consider every living thing’s interest equally and impartially The right thing to do is whatever produces the greatest overall amount of pleasure (Principle of Utility)

Some Implications of Utilitarianism Only the consequences of our actions matter for moral evaluation Rights are not important and can be ignored (Ex: Bentham and London’s Beggars) The good of the many ALWAYS outweighs the good of the few or the one

Deontology (version a) Immanuel Kant 1724-1804 The right thing to do is to obey the moral rules (ex, “don’t steal”), AND to obey them just because they are the rules Moral Rules are universal. That is, they are the same for all people, in all a places, at all Times in any circumstances.

Some Implications of Deontology We are never morally permitted to break any moral rule Morality does NOT differ in different cultures or different periods of history

Social Contract Theory Without government and society, we would find ourselves in a State of Nature in which life would be “nasty, brutish, poor, solitary and short.” Because we have reason, we would form a Social Contract to create law and government as soon as possible Once we have law and government, we would then be able to develop morality. Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679

John Lock Rights and Property The point of government is to protect human rights, like “life, liberty and property.” We obey the law in return for this protection For Locke, the right most in need of government protection is Property John Locke 1632-1704

Libertarianism Robert Nozick 1938-2002 The most important right of all is our right to self-ownership We are each our own property. We own ourselves. We may do whatever we like with ourselves, and consenting adults whatever they like with each other. The only thing we may not do is violate another person’s self ownership

Implications of Libertarianism Government should be as small and limited as possible Drugs, Prostitution, Polygamy, organ selling should all be legalized Acts like “consensual cannibalism” should not be legally punished Income tax is unjust and should be abolished

Deontology (version b) Persons are morally special, they have inherent value and dignity and are deserving of absolute respect. It is always wrong to use a person as if they were only an object Kant again

Implications of Deontology (version B) We do not OWN ourselves. We aren’t objects, we can’t be owned, not even by ourselves. Prostitution, Organ Selling, Drugs, etc … shold be illegal Consensual cannibalism should be legally punished. You don’t even have a right to kill yourself.

Virtue Ethics Ethics should not focus on rules, rights, duty, or actions; rather, ethics is about character: what kind of person should we be? A good person cultivates the virtues – good character traits like honesty or courage – while avoiding the vices – bad character traits like greed or cowardice A good society, is one in which government provides the resources to allow people to flourish as human beings. Aristotle 385 BCE – 323 BCE

Implications of virtue ethics The right thing to do partially depends on a universal quality, a virtue like courage, and partially on the individual and her situation. We are all ethically obligated to be brave, but the brave thing to do varies depending on the individual and her situation What we do does not matter nearly so much as why we did? What virtue or vice compelled us to act? What kind of person are we for acting on the basis of said virtue or vice? Things are said to be “made for” a specific purpose. Aristotle takes this as far as to say that some people are natural born slaves!

Marxism Karl Marx 1818-1883 Class Conflict – A ruling class harmfully controls a ruled class Oppression – A moral, political, social and economic system in which some groups are held down so others can benefit Exploitation – treating people like things Alienation – When an oppressed group does not seem themselves authentically, but as the oppressor defines them

Feminism And Ethics

Basic Claims of Feminism Women and men should have equal moral, legal, political, and social status We live in world in which society is biased in favor of males and sees things from a predominately male perspective (Patriarchy) Justice requires that we fix this. We must combat Patriarchy and work for a more equal society (egalitarianism)

Carol Gilligan

Jake and Amy Amy: No. “They should talk it out and come to an agreement.” Jake: Yes. “A life is worth more than money.”

Differences between men and women 1) Abstract moral principles are primary 2) Reason is everything 3) Contractual justice is the primary virtue Differences between men and women Women: Personal relationships are primary Emotion is as important as reason Care is the primary virtue