The Moral Point of View

Transcription

1 The Moral Point of View University of San Diego Lawrence M. Hinman, Ph.D. Director, The Values Institute 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 1

2 Why Study Ethics? Moral concerns are unavoidable in life. Analogy: morality is a lot like nutrition. Principal concern: health The role of experts Disagreement 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 2

3 Ethics as an Ongoing Conversation Professional discussions of ethical issues in journals. We come back to ideas again and again, finding new meaning in them. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 3

4 Ethics and Morality Morality: first order set of beliefs and practices about how to live a good life Ethics: a second order, conscious reflection on the adequacy of our moral beliefs. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 4

5 Moral Health The goal of ethical reflection is moral health. Thus we seek to determine what will nourish our moral life and what will poison it. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 5

6 Ethical Inventory Take the ethical inventory on pp now or on the web at: Return to your answers after finishing each chapter. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 6

7 The Moral Point of View What makes something a moral issue? Content: duties, rights, human welfare, suffering, character, etc. Perspective: impartial, compassionate, etc. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 7

8 Example: Cheating Imagine a situation in which you see a classmate cheating. There are several elements from a moral point of view: Some people are hurt by the cheating There is deception in the situation Cheating seems to be unfair to those who don t cheat There are conflicting values honesty, loyalty, etc. There are questions of character. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 8

9 The Language of Moral Concerns Some philosophers have argued that moral issues are characterized by a particular kind of language terms such as duty, obligation, right, and good. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 9

10 Impartiality Many philosophers have argued that the moral point of view is characterized by impartiality, that is, I don t give my own interest any special weight. Immanuel Kant John Stuart Mill 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 10

11 Compassion Other philosophers have seen the origin of the moral life to be in compassion, feeling for the suffering of other sentient beings. Josiah Royce: Such as that is for me, so is it for him, nothing less. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 11

12 Universally Binding Moral obligations, some philosophers maintain, are universally binding and that is what gives them their distinctive character. Kant: morality is a matter of categorical imperatives. Distinguish between hypothetical and categorical imperatives. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 12

13 Concern for Character Philosophers from Aristotle onward have seen the primary focus of morality to be character. Two questions: What ought I to do? (Kant and Mill) What kind of person ought I to be? (Aristotle) 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 13

14 The Focus of Ethics Ethics as the Evaluation of Other People s Behavior We are often eager to pass judgment on others Ethics as the Search for Meaning and Value in Our Own Lives 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 14

15 Ethics as the Evaluation of Other People s Behavior Ethics often used as a weapon Hypocrisy Possibility of knowing other people The right to judge other people The right to intervene Judging and caring 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 15

16 Ethics as the Search for Meaning and Value in Our Own Lives Positive focus Aims at discerning what is good Emphasizes personal responsibility for one s own life 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 16

17 What to Expect from a Moral Theory Functions of theory: Describe Explain Give strength (Stockdale) Prescribe Open new possibilities Wonder 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 17

18 What to Expect from a Moral What is ethics like? Physics Clear cut, definitive answers Engineering Theory, 2 Several possible ways of doing things, many ways that are wrong 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 18

19 The Point of Ethical Reflection Ethics as the evaluation of other people s behavior Sources of mistrust about moral judgments Hypocrisy Knowing other people The right to judge Judging and intervention Judging and caring Ethics as the search for the meaning of our own lives 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 19

20 Ethics is like nutrition Conclusion: Ethics & Good Health One studies bodily health, the other moral health Significant disagreement in both fields Still there is a significant common ground. 1/30/2006 Lawrence M. Hinman 20