introduction
TRANSCRIPT
Philosophical Ethicsan introduction to the course
George Matthews
Fall 2015
Caspar David Freidrich, “Gebirge”
an ethical dilemma
the runaway boxcar
You are standing next to a switch on a railroad track when arunaway boxcar is speeding down the tracks in your direction. Younotice five children playing a quarter of a mile down the track, toofar away to hear you. If you do nothing they will be hit by the trainand killed. If you throw the switch, the boxcar will not hit thechildren but will hit and kill one man working on the other track.
G What would you do?
G What should you do?
G Why?
an ethical dilemma
the runaway boxcar
You are standing next to a switch on a railroad track when arunaway boxcar is speeding down the tracks in your direction. Younotice five children playing a quarter of a mile down the track, toofar away to hear you. If you do nothing they will be hit by the trainand killed. If you throw the switch, the boxcar will not hit thechildren but will hit and kill one man working on the other track.
G What would you do?
G What should you do?
G Why?
an ethical dilemma
the runaway boxcar
You are standing next to a switch on a railroad track when arunaway boxcar is speeding down the tracks in your direction. Younotice five children playing a quarter of a mile down the track, toofar away to hear you. If you do nothing they will be hit by the trainand killed. If you throw the switch, the boxcar will not hit thechildren but will hit and kill one man working on the other track.
G What would you do?
G What should you do?
G Why?
an ethical dilemma
the runaway boxcar
You are standing next to a switch on a railroad track when arunaway boxcar is speeding down the tracks in your direction. Younotice five children playing a quarter of a mile down the track, toofar away to hear you. If you do nothing they will be hit by the trainand killed. If you throw the switch, the boxcar will not hit thechildren but will hit and kill one man working on the other track.
G What would you do?
G What should you do?
G Why?
approaches to ethics
descriptive ethics
F How do people actually respond to ethicaldilemmas and problems?
F What psychological, sociological, physiologicalexplanations account for our ethical behavior?
F How does ethical behavior change with individualdevelopment, education, cultural background?
G Cases like the runaway boxcar dilemma have beenstudied extensively by moral psychologists.
G One result: most people say they would throw theswitch.
approaches to ethics
descriptive ethics
F How do people actually respond to ethicaldilemmas and problems?
F What psychological, sociological, physiologicalexplanations account for our ethical behavior?
F How does ethical behavior change with individualdevelopment, education, cultural background?
G Cases like the runaway boxcar dilemma have beenstudied extensively by moral psychologists.
G One result: most people say they would throw theswitch.
approaches to ethics
descriptive ethics
F How do people actually respond to ethicaldilemmas and problems?
F What psychological, sociological, physiologicalexplanations account for our ethical behavior?
F How does ethical behavior change with individualdevelopment, education, cultural background?
G Cases like the runaway boxcar dilemma have beenstudied extensively by moral psychologists.
G One result: most people say they would throw theswitch.
approaches to ethics
normative ethics
F How should we respond to ethical dilemmas andproblems?
F What justifications are there for our moral claimsand assumptions?
F How can we use critical rationality to establishethical norms?
G Many peoples’ responses to cases like the runawayboxcar assume that the consequences of our actionsdetermine what makes them right or wrong.
G Is this a correct assumption – do better consequencesreally make an act morally right?
approaches to ethics
normative ethics
F How should we respond to ethical dilemmas andproblems?
F What justifications are there for our moral claimsand assumptions?
F How can we use critical rationality to establishethical norms?
G Many peoples’ responses to cases like the runawayboxcar assume that the consequences of our actionsdetermine what makes them right or wrong.
G Is this a correct assumption – do better consequencesreally make an act morally right?
approaches to ethics
normative ethics
F How should we respond to ethical dilemmas andproblems?
F What justifications are there for our moral claimsand assumptions?
F How can we use critical rationality to establishethical norms?
G Many peoples’ responses to cases like the runawayboxcar assume that the consequences of our actionsdetermine what makes them right or wrong.
G Is this a correct assumption – do better consequencesreally make an act morally right?
a variant dilemma
another runaway boxcar
You are standing on a bridge over a railroad track when a runawayboxcar is speeding down the tracks in your direction. You noticefive children playing a quarter of a mile down the track, too faraway to hear you. If you do nothing they will be hit by the trainand killed. There is a rather large person next to you and if youpush that person off the bridge in front of the boxcar the car willderail and the children will be saved, but he will be killed.
G Most people would NOT push the person off the bridge to save thechildren.
G Why not, given that the consequences in each case are the same?
a variant dilemma
another runaway boxcar
You are standing on a bridge over a railroad track when a runawayboxcar is speeding down the tracks in your direction. You noticefive children playing a quarter of a mile down the track, too faraway to hear you. If you do nothing they will be hit by the trainand killed. There is a rather large person next to you and if youpush that person off the bridge in front of the boxcar the car willderail and the children will be saved, but he will be killed.
G Most people would NOT push the person off the bridge to save thechildren.
G Why not, given that the consequences in each case are the same?
a variant dilemma
another runaway boxcar
You are standing on a bridge over a railroad track when a runawayboxcar is speeding down the tracks in your direction. You noticefive children playing a quarter of a mile down the track, too faraway to hear you. If you do nothing they will be hit by the trainand killed. There is a rather large person next to you and if youpush that person off the bridge in front of the boxcar the car willderail and the children will be saved, but he will be killed.
G Most people would NOT push the person off the bridge to save thechildren.
G Why not, given that the consequences in each case are the same?
approaches to ethics
meta-ethics
F How do ethical language and ethical thinking differfrom other ways of speaking or thinking?
F Are ethical statements statements about reality,expressions of our feelings, something else entirely?
F Is there any hope for rationally settling conflictingethical claims?
G When we claim that it is acceptable to throw the switch,but not to push the large person off the bridge are wemaking a statement about a fact?
G Or are we merely expressing our personal feelings aboutthese scenarios?
approaches to ethics
meta-ethics
F How do ethical language and ethical thinking differfrom other ways of speaking or thinking?
F Are ethical statements statements about reality,expressions of our feelings, something else entirely?
F Is there any hope for rationally settling conflictingethical claims?
G When we claim that it is acceptable to throw the switch,but not to push the large person off the bridge are wemaking a statement about a fact?
G Or are we merely expressing our personal feelings aboutthese scenarios?
approaches to ethics
meta-ethics
F How do ethical language and ethical thinking differfrom other ways of speaking or thinking?
F Are ethical statements statements about reality,expressions of our feelings, something else entirely?
F Is there any hope for rationally settling conflictingethical claims?
G When we claim that it is acceptable to throw the switch,but not to push the large person off the bridge are wemaking a statement about a fact?
G Or are we merely expressing our personal feelings aboutthese scenarios?
basic elements of philosophical ethics
1. appeal to reason
2. universality
3. impartiality
4. overriding character of ethical principles
basic elements of philosophical ethics
1. appeal to reason
2. universality
3. impartiality
4. overriding character of ethical principles
Philosophers trust reason as a method of discovering thetruth about ethics and for producing genuine conviction.
basic elements of philosophical ethics
1. appeal to reason
2. universality
3. impartiality
4. overriding character of ethical principles
Ethics aspires to find principles that transcend individualcases and apply to all relevantly similar situations.
basic elements of philosophical ethics
1. appeal to reason
2. universality
3. impartiality
4. overriding character of ethical principles
Right and wrong do not depend on who you are. We areall presumed equally worthy of consideration.
basic elements of philosophical ethics
1. appeal to reason
2. universality
3. impartiality
4. overriding character of ethical principles
Since ethics is concerned with what is fundamentallyright and wrong, its principles override considerations ofpersonal preference, customary behavior, law, etc.
basic elements of philosophical ethics
1. appeal to reason
2. universality
3. impartiality
4. overriding character of ethical principles
Yes, all of these claims are subject to debate – that ispart of what philosophical ethics does, it examines itsown assumptions about ethics and ethical thinking.