1. What Would a Satisfactory Moral Theory Look Like? PHIL 2525 Lec 22

2. Derek Parfit Some people believe that there cannot be progress in Ethics, since everything has already been said... I believe the opposite..

3. 13.1 Morality without Hubris Timothy Vermeulen 2002 Timothy Vermeulen 2002

4. “Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?”

5. Carl Sagan 1934 - 1996

6. Carl Sagan’s Cosmic Time Charts Pre December Dates (approximate, of course) January 1Big Bang May 1Origin of the Milky Way September 9Origin of the Solar System September 14Formation of the Earth September 25Origin of life on Earth October 2Formation of the oldest rocks known on Earth October 9Date of oldest fossils (bacteria and blue-green algae November 1Invention of sex (by micro-organisms) November 12Oldest fossil photosynthetic plants November 15Eukaryotes (first cells with nuclei) flourish From The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan

7. December

8. David Hume (1711-1776) “The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.” David Hume (1711-1776)

9. Charles Darwin Charles Darwin

10. We are rational beings... We consider options We consider options We weigh consequences We weigh consequences We choose to behave one way rather than another We choose to behave one way rather than another We can articulate the reasons for our choices We can articulate the reasons for our choices

11. Ethical Egoism: prescriptive Ethical Egoism: prescriptive Psychological Egoism: descriptive Psychological Egoism: descriptive

12. Rachels says that psychological egoism is not true...we do not always act only for our own self interest. Rachels says that psychological egoism is not true...we do not always act only for our own self interest.

13. P 193: Pleasing theoretical fit... A) What reason requires: impartiality A) What reason requires: impartiality B) The requirements of social living: the golden rule B) The requirements of social living: the golden rule C) Our natural inclination to care about others C) Our natural inclination to care about others

14. 13.2 Treating People as They Deserve... Remember Kant’s ‘respect for persons’ Remember Kant’s ‘respect for persons’ If we don’t adjust our actions to reflect our judgments of others’ actions we may be denying their status as free agents... If we don’t adjust our actions to reflect our judgments of others’ actions we may be denying their status as free agents... But... But...

15. 13.3 Multiple-Strategies Utilitarianism Our lives will go better if...we love our children, enjoy our friends, take pride in our work, keep our promises..... Our lives will go better if...we love our children, enjoy our friends, take pride in our work, keep our promises.....

16. 13.4 The Moral Community

17. 13.5: Justice and fairness

18. The Trolley Problem...

19. Harvard’s Moral Sense Test

20. Bertrand Russell If when a man writes a poem or commits a murder, the bodily movements involved in his act result solely from physical causes, it would seem absurd to put up a statue to him in the one case and to hang him in the other.

21. Decisions…

22. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; ………. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

23. Carl Jung… Without freedom there can be no morality. Without freedom there can be no morality.

24. Challenges to the existence of free will The challenge from Logic The challenge from Theology The challenge from Science

25. Daniel Dennett: Elbow Room: The Varieties of Free Will Worth Wanting Nature has played a devious trick on us. Nature has played a devious trick on us. Dennett’s book suggests we should grin and bear it. Dennett’s book suggests we should grin and bear it.

26. Barry Schwartz on Practical Wisdom Jonathan Haidt o Jonathan Haidt o

27. Jonathan Haidt on

28. Marc Hauser on Moral Minds