Buddhist Ethics l The craving for individuality (including life, pleasure, power) produces suffering— which is ended through virtue and meditation l Being virtuous requires us to respect ourselves and others, and to be patient, moderate, and to maintain a clear and balanced mind l Personal enlightenment consists not in merely following rules but in seeing one’s place in the universe

Challenges to Ethical Theorizing: Anti-foundationalism l Morality is not a pursuit of abstract principles; it is an attempt to give our lives order. This requires that it assumes changeable values l Instead of discussing morality in terms of acts or judgments based on rules or principles, we should focus on developing a good character or maintaining personal relationships

Virtue Ethics (Aristotle) u To be moral means being sensitive to the social and personal dimensions of life u “Rational” actions are not based on abstract principles but on moderation (golden mean) –Objection: this does not provide the specific moral guidance needed in difficult situations

Feminist Ethics u Morality is not about abstract principles, rights, or impartial (typically male) theories of justice, but about caring for persons and maintaining relationships (Gilligan) u The (feminine) virtue of caring for others in specific situations is the basis upon which all ethical thinking is grounded (Noddings) Nel NoddingsCarol Gilligan

Implications l Different ethical theories highlight different features of moral situations. For example: l Abortion: what makes a being morally significant? whose interests need to be considered? what impact will the decision have on the development of one’s character? l Euthanasia: is life always better than death? should consequences or how we would like to be treated influence our judgments?