1. ETHICS - Theme 2: Deontological Ethics Bernard Hoose’s Proportionalism
By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Understand the Hoose’s proportionalism as a hybrid of deontological and teleological ethics.
Be able to distinguish between an evil moral act and a pre-moral/ontic evil act
Be able to distinguish between a right act and a good act
Have evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of proportionalism.
Skills Focus
AO1 – knowledge and understanding skills
Specialist language and vocabulary
AO2 – Evaluation skills
Essay structure
Literacy

2. Spec Check – Component 3: Ethics Theme 2: Deontological Ethics
AO1- Knowledge and understanding of religion and belief
As a hybrid of Natural Law, a deontological / teleological ethic
Hoose’s proportionalist maxim (‘it is never right to go against a principle unless there is a proportionate reason which would justify it’)
Distinction between an evil moral act (an immoral act) and a pre-moral/ontic evil act (a bad act that in itself is not immoral)
Distinction between a right act (an act that follows the moral rule) and a good act (an act that is not a right act, but creates the lesser of two evils)
Proportionality based on agape.

3. What is proportionalism?
Hoose’s proportionalist maxim: “It is never right to go against a principle unless there is a proportionate reason which would justify it.” (Bernard Hoose, Proportionalism)
The proportionate reason is based on the context or situation but this situation must be sufficiently unusual and of significant magnitude to provide a reason which would overturn what would otherwise be a firm rule.

4. What is proportionalism?
“It is never right to go against a principle unless there is a proportionate reason which would justify it.” (Bernard Hoose, Proportionalism)
How is this approach seen as a hybrid of deontological and teleological ethics?

5. What is proportionalism?
“It is never right to go against a principle [deontological] unless there is a proportionate reason which would justify it. [teleological]” (Bernard Hoose, Proportionalism)
How is this approach seen as a hybrid of deontological and teleological ethics?

6. Natural Law and Proportionalism
Task 1 – THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Why wouldn’t a follower of Natural Law allow the following?
Contraception
Abortion
IVF
Capital punishment
Euthanasia
Cheating
Lying

7. Natural Law and Proportionalism
Task 2 – THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Give a proportionate reason why the following could be justified:
Contraception
Abortion
IVF
Capital punishment
Euthanasia
Cheating
Lying

8. Learning Check … By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Understand the Hoose’s proportionalism as a hybrid of deontological and teleological ethics.
Be able to distinguish between an evil moral act and a pre-moral/ontic evil act
Be able to distinguish between a right act and a good act
Have evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of proportionalism.
Skills Focus
AO1 – knowledge and understanding skills
Specialist language and vocabulary
AO2 – Evaluation skills
Essay structure
Literacy

9. Evil moral acts and pre-moral/ontic evil acts
Natural Law
Proportionalism
There are evil moral acts – in other words immoral acts.
These acts are intrinsically evil on the basis of the act itself (regardless of the intentions, situation or consequences)
E.g.?
There are pre-moral evil acts – doing an act before acquiring moral responsibility.
There are ontic evil acts – acts that cause pain or suffering.
In both of the above, the act may be bad, BUT in itself is not immoral.

10. Right Acts Versus Good Acts
Proportionalism distinguishes between ‘right acts’ and ‘good acts’.
Discuss with your ‘elbow buddy’ what these terms mean.
Give an example of how an act can be ‘wrong’ but ‘good’.
How does this idea link to pre-moral/ontic evil acts?
Right act =follows the moral rules. Good act = May break the rules, but is seen as the lesser of two evils. E.g. Plotting to kill Hitler (wrong act) in order to save millions of people (good act)

11. Proportionalism based on agape
Agape – unconditional selfless love.
A ‘good act’ is one that is based on love – it has a loving end.
However, love cannot make a ‘wrong act’ ‘right’.
“An action born of love can be wrong, while an action not resulting from love can be right.” (Hoose)

12. Learning Check … By the end of today’s lesson you will:
Understand the Hoose’s proportionalism as a hybrid of deontological and teleological ethics.
Be able to distinguish between an evil moral act and a pre-moral/ontic evil act
Be able to distinguish between a right act and a good act
Have evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of proportionalism.
Skills Focus
AO1 – knowledge and understanding skills
Specialist language and vocabulary
AO2 – Evaluation skills
Essay structure
Literacy

13. Strengths and Weaknesses of Proportionalism
Think – Pair - Share

14. AO2 (Part b) - Evaluation
“Hoose’s proportionalism is an effective way of dealing with ethical dilemmas.” Evaluate this view. [30 marks]
PESEL
Point – make a point. Agree / disagree.
Explain – explain that point
Support – support the point using evidence, scholars views, reasoning or examples
Evaluate – evaluate the point – “This is a strong/weak point because …”
Link – connect the paragraph to the question.
AO2 Level 7 Criteria
Critical analysis and perceptive evaluation
Identifies and addresses the issues
Clear views given, supported by extensive, detailed reasoning and/or evidence
Views of scholars/schools of thought used extensively.
Specialist vocabulary is used accurately
          

15. Pre-moral/ontic evil act
Plenary
1 Point
2 Points
3 Points
Hoose
Agape
Pre-moral/ontic evil act
Deontological
Right act
Hybrid
Teleological
Good act
Proportionalism
3 minutes