Core for Ethics 320

by Dr. Jan Garrett

PHIL 320 -- Fall 2007

Revised August 21, 2007

Purpose

To think more carefully about (moral) right and wrong (so as to improve our own conduct in our personal and civic lives)

Questions

How do we determine what is (morally) right and wrong?

What are the best general strategies for doing this?

(There are many questions subordinate to these and to other aspects of the Core.)

Sources of Insight (Raw materials of ethics)

Custom, law, folk theories
Religion (what religion? just any?)
Poets, playwrights, and the arts generally; prior moral philosophers
Careful observation, natural and social sciences

Concepts

Values:
          Duties,
          Virtues,
          Rights,
          Justice,
          "Natural Values"
               (survival, security, pain-reduction, friendship, etc.)
          "Community Values"
                (trust, sense that basic rights are respected, that people
                care about the common good, etc.)

Moral Psychology:
          intention,
          desire,
          deliberation,
          choice,
          character

Theories/Strategies

Right Relations: Golden Rule, Station/Duties Ethic, Covenantal
Ancient: Virtue and Flourishing (Aristotle)
Modern:
          Rule Theories: Duty (Kant), Rights (libertarian, liberal), Justice (Rawls)
          Consequentialism: Egoism, Utilitarianism, etc.
Recent: Communitarianism, Care Theory (Noddings), Critical Theory (various)

Assumptions

  • The activity of ethical reflection is essential to human well-being over the long run (but it cannot be done well in total isolation from other forms of reflection; see sources)
  • We can evaluate rival views, discover their strengths and weaknesses, and use the results to improve conduct, our own and others.
  • The rules or policies we adopt and defend for our families, voluntary organizations, and political communities should be periodically evaluated from an ethical perspective.

    Methods

  • Analysis 1: Break a complex issue or concept into parts
  • Analysis 2: Break a theory or argumentative essay into parts, including
              1) its key logical units (premises, intermediate steps, conclusions)
              2) its assumptions
  • Clarify concepts: This is especially important when the concepts are metaphorical: many moral concepts are in fact metaphorical.
  • Tests:
              1) are the assumptions reasonable, defensible?
              2) are the conclusions well-supported by their premises
              3) are the premises consistent with or supported by conclusions established in other inquiries?
              4) are the conclusions consistent with the most important natural values? with the most basic moral values not under scrutiny at the moment?

    Perspective

    Determined by the assumptions.