1. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas

2. Aristotle: Teleological Approach
Aristotle ( BCE)
Educated in Plato’s Academy
Explored natural world and human experience rather than ideas
Teacher of Alexander the Great
Aristotle with Bust of Homer by Rembrandt

3. Immanuel Kant: Deontological Approach
Kant was born, lived and died in Königsberg, Germany
At the age of forty-six, Kant received an appointment as a professor of logic and metaphysics at his alma mater the University of Königsberg.
His famous claim: "Though our knowledge begins with experience, it does not follow that it arises out of experience.“
A philosophical classic is his work Critique of Pure Reason wherein he asserts that our perceptual apparatus is capable of ordering sense-impressions into intelligible unities, which, while in themselves cannot be proven, we are led to conclude through "pure reason," that intelligible unities, such as God, freedom, and immortality, do exist
magazine.uchicago.edu/. ../punchline.html

4. Emmanuel Levinas: Relational Approach
( )
Representative philosopher of relational ethics
Jewish
Born in Lithuania
At 17 moved to France
Lost much of his family in the Holocaust

5. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community

6. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well

7. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good

8. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour

9. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things

10. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things
Kant
Ethics is a matter of one’s inner conviction and autonomy

11. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things
Kant
Ethics is a matter of one’s inner conviction and autonomy
A human act is morally good when it is done for the sake of duty

12. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things
Kant
Ethics is a matter of one’s inner conviction and autonomy
A human act is morally good when it is done for the sake of duty
The use of reason is central to moral life – duty is determined by principles

13. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things
Kant
Ethics is a matter of one’s inner conviction and autonomy
A human act is morally good when it is done for the sake of duty
The use of reason is central to moral life – duty is determined by principles
I must act in such a way that the principles according to which I act should become a universal law

14. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things
Kant
Ethics is a matter of one’s inner conviction and autonomy
A human act is morally good when it is done for the sake of duty
The use of reason is central to moral life – duty is determined by principles
I must act in such a way that the principles according to which I act should become a universal law
Levinas
The central question in philosophy is: where is the Good?

15. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things
Kant
Ethics is a matter of one’s inner conviction and autonomy
A human act is morally good when it is done for the sake of duty
The use of reason is central to moral life – duty is determined by principles
I must act in such a way that the principles according to which I act should become a universal law
Levinas
The central question in philosophy is: where is the Good?
Each thing or person is a unique expression of the Good

16. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things
Kant
Ethics is a matter of one’s inner conviction and autonomy
A human act is morally good when it is done for the sake of duty
The use of reason is central to moral life – duty is determined by principles
I must act in such a way that the principles according to which I act should become a universal law
Levinas
The central question in philosophy is: where is the Good?
Each thing or person is a unique expression of the Good
The face of another calls me to respond

17. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle
Humans find happiness within community
To be happy is to live well and to do well
Human activity aims at achieving the good
Since the highest capacity of humans is to be rational, the highest form of happiness is based on rational behaviour
Be moderate in all things
Kant
Ethics is a matter of one’s inner conviction and autonomy
A human act is morally good when it is done for the sake of duty
The use of reason is central to moral life – duty is determined by principles
I must act in such a way that the principles according to which I act should become a universal law
Levinas
The central question in philosophy is: where is the Good?
Each thing or person is a unique expression of the Good
The face of another calls me to respond
Goodness translates into responsibility for the Other

18. Ethical theorists: A comparison of main ideas
Aristotle – Purpose driven
Teleological ethics derives from discovering the finality of what we are intended to be .
When people seek to become all they are intended to be, they develop
habits that represent the best of what human means. These are virtues.
Kant – duty driven
Good will is the most precious possession, a good in itself.
Categorical imperative:
I should act the way I would want everyone else to act.
Levinas – relationship driven
When confronted by the “other’s” face we are compelled to act on their behalf.
We are responsible for one another.