POPULAR

NOTIONS OF MORALITY

A. DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS or ETHICS OF DUTY

“What one is compelled to do by reason of duty”

the theory of duty or moral obligation

POPULAR NOTIONS OF MORALITY

The most famous deontological theory was advanced by the German philosopher

Immanuel Kant.

Kant claimed that various actions are morally wrong

if they are inconsistent with the status of a person

as a free and rational being,

and that, conversely, acts that further the status of people as free and rational

beings are morally right.

One of the most important implications of deontology is that:

a person's BEHAVIOR can be wrong even if it results in the best possible

outcome.

And an ACT can be righteous even if it results in a negative outcome.

deontology insists that HOW people accomplish their goals is usually more

important than WHAT people accomplish.

In contrast to CONSEQUENTIALISM, a philosophy famous for its claim

that THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS.

WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG FOR ONE PERSON IS THE SAME FOR ANY OTHER PERSON ANYTIME,

ANYWHERE

CHARACTERISTICS:

1. UNIVERSAL

THE TEST FOR THE RIGHTNESS OF AN ACTION IS REASON

2. RATIONAL

3. CATEGORICAL

ABSOLUTE UNQUALIFIED

WITHOUT CONDITION

CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE

IMPERATIVE

any proposition that declares a certain action or inaction to be necessary.

HYPOTHETICAL IMPERATIVE

Compels action in a given circumstance“If I wish to satisfy my thirst, then I must

drink something”

CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE

Denotes an absolute, unconditional requirement

that exerts its authority in all circumstances

“It is wrong to commit murder”

PRINCIPLES OF THE CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE

Act only according to that maxim by which you can also will that it would become a

universal law.

Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an

end.

Act as though you were through your maxims a law-making member of a kingdom

of ends.

UTILITARIANISM

the ethical doctrine which believes that the moral worth of an action is solely determined

by its contribution to overall utility.

Utility, the good to be maximized, whatever brings the greatest happiness to the greatest

number of people

has been defined by various thinkers as happiness or pleasure versus suffering or

pain.

PRAGMATISM

the meaning of concepts is to be sought in their practical bearings

the function of thought is to guide action

truth is preeminently to be tested by the practical consequences of belief

ALTRUISMis a code of ethics which holds the

welfare of others as the standard of "good“ and self-sacrifice as the only

moral action. The unstated premise of the doctrine of altruism

is that all relationships among men involve sacrifice

This leaves one with the choice between maliciously exploiting the other person or

being "moral“ and offering oneself up as the sacrificial

victim.

This leaves one with the choice between maliciously exploiting the other person or

being "moral“ and offering oneself up as the sacrificial

victim.

The unstated premise of the doctrine of altruism

is that all relationships among men involve sacrifice

INTRINSICISM

is the belief that VALUE is a non-relational characteristic

of an object.

This means that an object can be valuable or not, good or bad, without

reference to who it is good or bad for, and without reference to the reason it

is good or bad.

SUBJECTIVISM

The belief that values are subjective.

This means that values are whateverwe choose to pursue and whatever we

desire.

It also means there is no such thing as good or evil,

except what you think is good or evil.

If you believe something is evil, that's just your own personal

preference. It is not, and cannot be, a statement

about reality.

COLLECTIVISM

The concept of value requires a purpose and a beneficiary.

It requires answers to the questions "Value to whom?" and "Value for what?"

Collectivism says value to the collective,

whether that is society, tribe, family, nation, race, sex,

or any other group or category one "belongs" to.

The standard of good is that which benefits the group

PACIFISM

the moral principle which advocates that the use of force is wrong for any

reason.

This applies to both the initiation of force, as well as defensive or

retaliatory force.

If your life is being threatened, pacifism holds that you should not defend

yourself. If someone has stolen from you,

pacifism holds that you should not retrieve your property.

If someone has murdered other people, pacifism holds that nothing should be done

about it.

HUMANISM

Expresses renewed confidence in the power of man

to respond positively to his own problems

and so discover new things for himself

Humanism entails a commitment to the search for truth and morality through human means in support of human

interests.

In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects

dependence on faith, the supernatural or divinely revealed texts.

ANARCHISM

Expresses man’s freedom to express himself without repression of any kind.

Freedom is the highest attainment of a humanity

Anarchism is centered on rejection of any form

of compulsory government and supporting its elimination

The term "anarchism" is derived from the Geek word αναρχια "without archons" or

"without rulers“

EXISTENTIALISM

Emphasizing action, freedom, and decision as fundamental existentialism

is opposed to rationalism and positivism. i.e., argues against

definitions of human beings as primarily rational.

Existentialists look at where people find meaning.

Existentialism asserts that people actually make decisions based on what has meaning to them rather than what

is rational.

“The highest attainment of man is to find his own unique vocation”Soren Kierkegaard

EUDAIMONISM

Comes from the Greek word eudaimonia which means

happiness

Refers to any conception of ethics that puts human happiness and the complete life of the

individual at the center of ethical concern.