Ethics—The Basics by John Mizzoni INTRODUCTION

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Do murderers Deserve the death penalty?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Is executing murderers morally justified because it will likely have more good consequences for society than a sentence of life in prison? WHAT IS MORALITY?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION MORALITY refers to the ideas, beliefs, and concepts of what people value, of conduct that is right or wrong, good or bad, and of any choices and actions in the practice of that conduct. WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION PHILOSOPHY refers to “love of wisdom”, the systematic inquiry into the nature of things based on logical reasoning, or rationality. WHAT IS MORAL PHILOSOPHY?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION MORAL PHILOSOPHY, or PHILOSOPHICAL ETHICS, refers to the systematic reasoned inquiry into the nature of morality (values, choices, principles, theories, traditions, and conduct) WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MORALITY AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Moral philosophy approaches morality through the use of logical reasoning. It recommends moral action based on reason. Moral philosophy is one subset of morality. WHAT ARE VALUES?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Values are those people and things that we find important to us. Values may be concrete—such as Francis of Assisi, Gandhi, or a parent, (people) or gold or land (things); or they may be abstract—including beliefs, attitudes, preferences, rules, codes, judgments, or theories.

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION MORAL THEOLOGY approaches morality through faith and scripture as well as reason. Moral theology recommends moral action based on faith. Moral theology is another subset of morality. DO SOCIAL SCIENCES RELATE TO MORALITY?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION SOCIAL SCIENCES (e.g. anthropology, social psychology, and sociology) also approach morality through a variety of disciplinary perspectives. They describe the morality of different people at various times and in various places. This descriptive ethics is another subset of morality.

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Moral philosophy Social sciences Moral theology MORALITY

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Is it morally permissible —is it ethically right— for a woman to drink alcohol while pregnant?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION How do we begin to answer ethical questions like these? Are there ethical standards that can help us?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Where do ethical standards come from? My society? My God? My religion? My own rationality? My feelings?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Philosophers: Think (use reason/rationality/logic) Organize and group questions that are similar Formulate answers

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION The #1 value (assumption, presupposition) of moral philosophers, like other philosophers, is RATIONALITY. Rationality implies at least three things: Free choice Impartiality Universalizability Rationality is fundamental to philosophy. REASON RULES! REASONS RULE!

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION WHAT IS “JUSTIFICATION”? In moral philosophy, justification is providing rational arguments—reasons and evidence—to support: ethical assumptions, ethical premises, and ethical conclusions REASON RULES! REASONS RULE!

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION What are the four basic concerns of ethics?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION One basic ethical concern is the philosophical problem of the origins of ethics. There are answers to this question, but it is hard to know which answers are the correct answers.

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION A second basic ethical concern is the philosophical problem of relativism. Is ethics always a direct function of society?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION A third basic ethical concern is the philosophical problem of human nature. What is essential to being human?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION A fourth basic ethical concern is the philosophical problem of right and wrong. What makes something morally right or morally good, morally wrong or morally bad?

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION What is the structure of ethics? Concepts, e.g., good, happiness Principles, e.g., “Utility” Theories, e.g., act-utilitarianism Traditions, e.g., utilitarian ethics

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION The Structure of Ethics Traditions Principles Theories Concepts

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION What is the organization of ethics? What is ethics and what is not ethics (metaethics) Ethical theories and traditions (normative ethics) Use of theories to solve real problems (applied ethics)

Ethics—The Basics INTRODUCTION Normative ethics Applied ethics METAETHICS The Organization of Ethics