1. Stage 2 Philosophy Moral Theories St John’s Grammar School
David Rawnsley

2. Moral Theories Classic Utilitarianism Preference Utilitarianism
Rights Based Theories
Principal of Autonomy
Sanctity of Life
Natural Law
Deontological Ethics

3. Classical Utilitarianism (Mill, Bentham)
Greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.
The question is not, “Can they reason?” Nor, “Can they talk?” but “Can they suffer?” (Bentham)
Who has moral significance?
Any being which can feel happiness or pain.

4. Preference Utilitarianism (Singer, Glover)
To satisfy as many preferences as possible.
Who has moral significance?
Any being which can have preferences.
I wonder what I’ll do tomorrow?
I don’t have a preference because I don’t know that I exist.

5. I can’t experience a thing. I’m experiencing a lovely life.
Rights (Regan)
Beings who are subjects experiencing a life have rights to their life.
Who has moral significance?
Beings which can experience their life. (Sentient beings).
I can’t experience a thing.
I’m experiencing a lovely life.

6. Rights (Tooley)
A being can only have a right to something if it can desire and value it.
Who has moral significance?
Beings who have the capacity to desire something.

7. Principle of Autonomy
The Principle of Autonomy argues that it is wrong to go against somebody’s autonomous decisions.
Who can have moral significance?
Only beings who are capable of making autonomous decisions.

8. Sanctity of Life (Many religious groups)
All (human) life is sacred (untouchable, precious).
Who has moral significance?
All (human) life.

9. Natural Law (Aristotle, Aquinas)
Everything should grow to its potential.
When I grow up I want to be an adult.
I want to grow up to be an oak tree.

10. Deontological Ethics (Kant, Christian Ethics)
Treat people as ‘ends’ not ‘means’.
Do actions which could be universalised.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Who has moral significance?
Humans?

11. Virtue Ethics (Aristotle)
All actions should be virtuous for the actor.
Who has moral significance?
The actor.
Virtue is a balance between excess and deficiency.