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public:t-709-aies-2025:aies-2025:moral_theories_i [2025/08/14 16:45] – created leonard | public:t-709-aies-2025:aies-2025:moral_theories_i [2025/09/15 08:50] (current) – [Moral Objectivism] leonard | ||
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\\ | \\ | ||
- | ==== Concepts ==== | + | ===== Concepts ===== |
- | | Morality | The system through which we determine right and wrong conduct \\ I.e., the guide to good or right conduct| | + | |
- | | Ethics | The philosophical study of Morality | | + | |
- | | Theory | A structured set of statements used to explain a set of facts or concepts. | | + | |
- | | Moral Theory | A theory that explains why a certain action is wrong or why to act in a certain way. It can be used to evaluate specific moral issues. | | + | |
- | ==== Basic Principles ==== | + | ==== Morality ==== |
+ | |||
+ | | What is Morality? | ||
+ | | Why is defining morality difficult? | ||
+ | | Descriptive Morality | ||
+ | | Normative Morality | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Ethics ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | | What is Ethics? | ||
+ | | What isn't Ethics? | ||
+ | | Ethics vs. Morality | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Moral Theory ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | | What are Moral Theories? | ||
+ | | Purpose of Moral Theories | ||
+ | | Role in Ethical Disagreement | ||
+ | | Why Moral Theories matter | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Basic Principles | ||
Often, there is a reference to the four basic principles of healthcare when evaluating the merits and difficulties of medical procedures: | Often, there is a reference to the four basic principles of healthcare when evaluating the merits and difficulties of medical procedures: | ||
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- | ==== Moral Theories ==== | + | ===== Moral Theories ===== |
+ | |||
+ | ==== Moral Relativism ==== | ||
+ | What is morally right or wrong depends on the prevailing view in the society or culture we happen to be dealing with. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Moral Objectivism ==== | ||
+ | What is right or wrong doesn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Consequentialism === | ||
+ | Whether an action is right or wrong depends on the action' | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Utilitarianism == | ||
+ | * Is a theory of best consequences. | ||
+ | * Put forward by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and improved by John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). | ||
+ | * Most influential variety of consequentialism. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | Basis of Utilitarianism | Ask what has intrinsic value and assess the consequences of an action in terms of intrinsically valuable things | | ||
+ | | Instrumental and Intrinsic Value | **Instrumental Value**: A thing has only instrumental value if it is only valuable for what it may get you (e.g., money). \\ **Intrinsic Value**: A thing has intrinsic value if you value it for itself (i.e., you would value it even if it brought you nothing else. | | ||
+ | | What has intrinsic value? | For utilitarians: | ||
+ | |||
+ | The most ethical action is the one that produces the greatest overall happiness or well-being for the greatest number of people and minimizes pain or unhappiness for everyone affected by the choice. Outcomes are prioritized over intentions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | == Virtue Ethics == | ||
+ | Actions according to (traditional) virtues lead to happiness. Most widely discussed is Aristotle' | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Deontology === | ||
+ | |||
+ | * 'Duty Based' Ethics | ||
+ | * Deny that what ultimately matters is an action' | ||
+ | * What matters is the kind of action it is - Doing our duty. | ||
+ | * Many kinds of deontological theory. | ||
+ | * The ' | ||
+ | * Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is the most influential deontologist. \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Rejecting consequentialism: | ||
+ | |||
+ | "A good will is good not because of what it effects or accomplishes." | ||
+ | |||
+ | == The Categorical Imperative == | ||
+ | |||
+ | | First version | Act only according to that maxim [i.e., rule] whereby you can at the same time will that it become a universal law. | | ||
+ | | Second version | Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of another, always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means.\\\\ -> Important to treat people as autonomous agents. | | ||
+ | | Third version | (Not important here, just for completeness) Every rational being must so act as if [they] were through his maxim always a lawmaking member in the universal kingdom of ends. | | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Influential in arguments for human rights. | ||
+ | * Informed consent | ||
+ | * Value the autonomy of individuals. | ||
- | | Moral Objectivism | + | ==== Problems ==== |
- | | Moral Relativism | + | | Deontology |
- | | Consequentialism | | | + | | Consequentialism |
- | | Utilitarianism | | | + | |
- | | Virtue Ethics | | | + | |
- | |Deontology | | + | |
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