6 When Values Clash Theoretical1 Chapter 6 When Values Clash Theoretical Approaches Utilitarian Strategies: Finding a Single Measure Goods Versus Other Goods: “Pick the greater good” Each choice has benefits and costs, choice is based on the greatest net benefit. Net benefit=total benefit over total cost or maximize utility Must consider future/expected benefits and costs and choices can be difficult. Review carefully the trade-offs or opportunity costs Decision: How do we decide? Try to quantify the various benefits and costs. What are the questions that need to be asked? Research factual information.

6 When Values Clash Theoretical2 Chapter 6 When Values Clash Theoretical Approaches Goods versus other kinds of values. Utilitarian believe all values can be stated as “goods”. One family Greatest happiness becomes utilitarianism’s single measure for all moral conflicts. What is “Cashing them out”? Benefit and cost Values That Don’t “Cash Out” Translation Hyper truthfulness Fairness-not always good Stealing and kidnapping to save someone life? 2

6 When Values Clash Theoretical3 Chapter 6 When Values Clash Theoretical Approaches Non-Utilitarian Strategies: Prioritizing Values Right and Virtue Moral Families offer a more moderate response than the Utilitarian Right and Virtue suggest prioritize conflicting moral values or ranking. 3

6 When Values Clash Theoretical4 Chapter 6 When Values Clash Theoretical Approaches Rights Versus Other Rights Basic right comes first Right of life, right of safety, right of ownership, over other rights Right of free speech over unpleasant things about you or me. Uniformed voters have a right to vote 4

6 When Values Clash Theoretical5 Chapter 6 When Values Clash Theoretical Approaches Rights Versus Goods Intuitions? Airplane crash-----What matters first? Kant-Moral thinking must be from a universal point of view not one person’s particular point of view. Rawls states that we must choose rules that establish a basic equality of access to the fundamental goods of society, allowing inequality only when inequalities benefit the least well off segments of society. Non-Utilitarian Strategies: Prioritizing Values 5

6 When Values Clash Theoretical6 Chapter 6 When Values Clash Theoretical Approaches The Priority of Virtues Which virtue is most basic? Answer: theory of human nature or the function of human beings. Rational virtues are most basic-Aristotle. Faith and communion with God are most basic-Aquinas Modern virtue theories are more contextual. Specific virtues may have priority over other values in specific situations or for specific people. Virtues in general versus virtues in specifics. 6

6 When Values Clash Theoretical7 Chapter 6 When Values Clash Theoretical Approaches When Theories Stalemate Controversial? YES! Can Utilitarian Translation Work? Legal: Fairness, no. Everyone deserves a fair trail and innocence is assumed. Rights: Liberty, free speech serves social utility Individual rights versus social rights? “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.” John Stuart Mill 7

6 When Values Clash Theoretical8 Chapter 6 When Values Clash Theoretical Approaches When Theories Stalemate Problems with Prioritizing Non-utilitarian do not deny the diversity of values-they do not seek to reduce all values to one type-but only to aim to place certain values first, before others, when conflicts arise and choices have to be made. Priority is hard to establish. Values may not be so efficient or convenient but are still important, indeed essential. It does not establish priority. Conclusion: Ethical theories are limited tools 8

6 When Values Clash Theoretical9 Exercises and Notes: When Values Clash Page 114