morality - philosophy notes

8/10/2019 Morality - Philosophy Notes

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MORALITY

Utilitarianism

Hedonism - consequences are good or bad solely in virtue of the amount of happinessor unhappiness (pleasure or pain) created..

Higher vs. lower pleasures -

Potential counterexamples:

- the two-faced friend…

- the injured pianist…

- the pleasure machine…

Utilitarianism - the morally right act is that which will produce the greatest happiness forthe greatest number.

Instrumental value - contributes to producing other goods or eliminating various

bad things (e.g. medicine, money, etc.)

Intrinsic value - it is good in itself (e.g. pleasure vs pain)

For moral status, intrinsic value is the one that matters

Consequentialism: actions are right or wrong solely in virtue of their consequences.

So,

Utilitarianism = Consequentialism + Hedonism + Impartiality

Impartiality - each person’s happiness counts the same

CRITICISMS

- Convicting the innocent (example)

- Impartiality is too demanding

DEFENSE

1. When the action is wrong, the consequences wouldn’t really be good.

2. Instead of judging actions on a case-by-case basis, identify rules which tend to

promote the greatest happiness if we follow them. E.g. Do not punish the innocent.

3. Common sense is wrong. We should focus onallthe consequences.



Deontology

The main alternative to consequentialism is deontology

Moderate deontology - the moral rightness or wrongness of an action maydepend partly on its consequences and partly on other factors.

Extreme (Kantian) Deontology - the moral rightness or wrongness of an action

does not depend on its consequences at all but on whether it fulfills one’s moral duty.

1. Kantian Deontology

The Categorical Imperative (supreme principle of morality)

- If you want A, then do B. (E.g. If you want to get a good job, then get a

good education.)

- Do B! (E.g. Tell the truth!)The first categorical Imperative: act only on that maxim whereby you can at the

same time will that it would become a universal law.

(LOOK AT flow chart)

Examples: making a lying promise, suicide, neglecting one’s talent, and refraining from

helping others.

Puzzling Cases

Thomson - The Trolley Problem- presents a moral paradox

- consequentialism

- 5 people in trolley vs. one man

- intending harm vs. forseeing harm

- solution: by pulling the lever, you are merely diverting a pre-existing threat from

the five onto the one. You do not create any new threat and you’re a cation is therefore

morally acceptable.

Moral Duties to the Poor

Singer - Rich and Poor

Ethical Relativism

Shafer-Landau - Ethical Relativism

According to Shafer-Landau, both cultural relativism and ethical subjectivism



imply moral infallibility.

Cultural relativism implies that the iconoclast would always be morally mistaken.

For subjectivists, everyone’s moral views are equally plausible.

Cultural relativism and ethical subjectivism imply that nothing is intrinsically

valuable.

The Meaning of Life

Taylor - The Meaning of Life

morality - philosophy notes

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