Transcript Slide 1

Ethics
.
What is the Good Life?
INTRODUCTION TO THIS OVERVIEW
Moral philosophy (or the study
. of Ethics) is a systematic
branch of Philosophy that attempts to understand
rivaling theories that seek to prescribe “how we ought
to live.”
First, it is generally accepted that a moral theory should,
at the very least, be grounded on the notions that (a)
reason is the guide for determining one’s conduct and
that (b) the interests of all individuals who will be
affected by some action be considered equally and
impartially.
In other words, reason and impartiality should be
foundational to any ethical theory. While both are
present in the last four general theories, these missing
two ingredients are part of the “problems” with the first
two theories.
.
RELATIVISM is the doctrine that the moral rightness or
wrongness of an action varies from society to society and
that there are no absolute universal moral standards binding
on all men (and women) at all times. Accordingly, it holds
that whether or not something is “right” for an individual to
act in a certain way depends on or is relative to the society to
which one belongs or is relative to the particular situation in
which one finds oneself.
1. Morality is relative to its culture.
2. There is no independent basis for criticizing the
morality of any other culture.
3. Therefore, we ought to be tolerant of the
moralities of other cultures.
SUBJECTIVISM is the view that right or wrong are not relative to
the standards of a culture but rather relative to the attitude of
each individual person. Our moral opinions are based on
opinions at the time of the event’s occurrence in our lives. A
subjectionist would claim that anyone who declares that
something is right or wrong is merely expressing nothing more
than a personal preference, taste, or attitude.
.
1. If Person A says “X is wrong,” she is simply stating that she
does not like X.
2. If Person B says “X is not wrong,” he is simply stating that X
does not bother him.
3. “X is wrong” and “X is not wrong” cannot both be true at the
same time (according to the law of non-contradiction).
4. “X is wrong” and “X is not wrong” are both statements of
opinion and not fact anyway.
5. Therefore, X is neither right nor wrong but simply a matter of
personal opinion.
CONFUCIAN ETHICS
Confucius’ Starting Point:
Rethinking “self” (and society)
Each ‘self’ needs cultivation
We should seek inner-sageliness and
outer-kingliness
It requires a process of daily renewal and
“renovation”
It has transforming potential (for itself &
for affecting others)
It is always in a process of becoming from “what is” to “what should be”
Confucius says, All of the above pertains to
‘society’ as well, and, all this begins with
a good education
A Few Definitions
dao – the Way (implied assumption is that we are all
working it out together)
li – ritual propriety and proprius language
yi – appropriate or appropriating (proprietal)
ren – authoritative personing (an activity) in
relationship with others; the conduct of an
exemplary person (junzi)
he (harmony) – optimizing the intersection between
the propensity of things and spontaneity to make
the most of way-making (dao)
…
xiao – filial piety; sonship (brotherly love); similar to
Greek notion of storge’
zheng – proper governing; governing properly
hsueh – learning (education); learning is not about
reading books but rather about creating ourselves
through relationships and through understanding
the processes of change in life
cheng – (i) co-creativity; (ii) sincerity (affective tone,
perspectivity) – ourselves as individuals; (iii)
integrity (making and/or becoming whole) –
ourselves with others
Ren + li + yi = he
We all must deal with these
ritualized & hierarchical
relationships in order to
have personal and
societal harmony (he)
A flourishing & balanced
community (with peace
and tranquility) and/or an
individual person is the
result of the integrated
concepts of ren, li, and yi.
Quick Summary
An exemplary person (junzi or chun-tzu) with a virtuous character
(jen) bases his character on righteousness (yi) and conducts
himself with ritualized propriety (li) in order to establish harmony
(he) within himself and within his relationships with other people
(paraphrase of Analects XI, 17).
He will cultivate and cherish wisdom (chih), a love of learning or
study (hsueh), good faith (hsin), and filial piety (hsiao). He will
exhibit moral authority (de) and pursue the arts of peace (wen)
as he seeks to imitate the way (tao) of the universe.
This is the lesson Confucius wants the leaders to learn. An junzi
represents the fusion of all qualities in such a way that a person
can respond to every situation benefiting mankind without
sacrificing his principles.
Some Confucian “basics”
 The five cardinal human relationships (wu-lun)
 The five constant virtues in Confucianism:
Justice, Humility, Order, Prudence, and
Rectitude (moral uprightness, especially in judgments)
 The physical, natural order and the social, moral order
are identical and often both are spoken of as one and
the same.
The concept of “filial piety”
(Hsiao)
Complete devotion, honor, respect, and
obedience to one’s parents, living and
deceased.
Filial piety is the model for the Five
Relationships.
Five Great Relationships (wu-lun)
Ruler & Subject - to govern is to correct like a father; to be
ruled is to obey like a son
Father & Son - children must obey their parents, but they
also must dissuade their parents from doing any wrongs
Elder & Younger Brothers - elder brothers must be responsible
(while fathers are alive or dead); younger obey
Husband & Wife - husbands must love and take care of wives;
wives must respect and learn from their husbands
Friend to Friend - while this seems “equal,” rarely are
friendships between “true” equals [Student-Teacher is here]
All are based on ritual expectation and respect; each relationship should promote self-actualization.
Family (jia) as the Governing
Metaphor
In Western thinking,
private & public
spheres are not seen
as interconnected.
In classical China, the
family serves as the
pervasive metaphor
(and model) for
social, political, and
even religious
relations.
Circle of Relationships
-there are hierarchies on each level
.
Self
Family
Community
Cosmos
Five Great (or constant) Virtues
While Confucius said that there was no specific list or
code which would identify the virtues of a junzi,
there were five he frequently mentioned as virtues
that would be possessed by any exemplary person.
Justice
Humility
Order
Prudence
Rectitude (moral rightness,
especially in judgments)
MOVIE
Key concepts in understanding
Chinese culture:
Ren 仁 – authoritative conduct: acting appropriately for
your role (yi 宜); observing ritual propriety (li 礼); doing
your utmost (zhong 忠) and making good on your word
(xin 信)
Xiao 孝 – filial piety, which is the grounding relationship
upon which the others are based
Guanxi 馆系 - Throughout much of Chinese history, the
fundamental glue that has held society together is the
concept of guanxi, relationships between people.
Mianxi 面洗 - Face - Losing face (Duiren 丢人), saving
face and giving face is very important and should be
taken into consideration at all times.
ARISTOTLE’S ‘VIRTUE ETHICS’
What are Aristotelian Virtues?
What should I be?.....a virtuous person.
What does a virtuous person do?.....virtuous things.
What you are (be) is what you do.
Are the Virtues the same for
everyone?
Yes, but….They are relative to the person and to the
situation.
Aristotle said, “There are an infinite number of Vices
but only one Virtue.”
ARISTOTELIAN & CONFUCIAN DIFFERENCES
SOCRATES
CONFUCIUS
The “Law” has parental authority
The father/son relationship is
and deserves filial respect and
fundamental not only for the
obedience; Socrates would like to individual but also for society;
extend the filial relationship of
the son extends the feeling of
law/citizen and establish that
“ren” towards his father and
relationship as the basis for
treats him the way he would
Athenian society.
wanted to be treated if a father;
“Law” is a set of rules, based on similarly, he extends the felling
logic; it is not a person.
of “ren” to include close relations
and, eventually, all members of
society.
The “law/citizen” relationship is The “father/son” relationship is
primarily a rational one followed primarily one of affection and an
by an individual who conforms to
extension of ones’ self.
it.
To have proper respect for the
Affection is the basis of respect
law, one must first learn how to for a ruler (or parent); to cultivate
reason properly; one must be able one’s “ren,” one must examine
to distinguish a good law from a
his own feelings, study the
bad law and to decide on the
traditions of society, and develop
proper course of action as reason
a sensitivity for the needs and
dictates.
feelings of others. One senses
rather than reasons when he has
been treated unfairly.
“Piety” is conformance with
“Piety” is internally enforced
externally enforced obligations
conformity with our expected
that bind the individual to others
roles within the context of our
and engage his personal
relationships (whether with
responsibility to family, friends,
family, friends, or the state).
and the state.
“Law” gives permanence to the “Ren” continues the permanence
will of the mob (in a democratic
of a tradition based on respect
society).
and affection.
Socrates insisted that Euthypho Confucius would tell Euthyphro
needed to correct his relationship
that the young man needed to
with the Law (according to the
correct the relationship with his
dictates of reason), and the Law
father by returning to the more
would reveal to him the
traditional social roles based on
obligations owed to a father by a
respect and affection.
son.
Socratic dialectic (arguments
Persuasion (arguments avoided);
encouraged);
Validity based on (1) ancient
Validity based on pure, cold,
authority, (2) common
unemotional, deductive Logic
observation, and (3) practical
effect
Aristotelian and Confucian Similarities
Too little
FIVE VIRTUES OF REN:
Right amount
Too much
frivolous
stingy
insincere
lazy
serious
generous
sincere
diligent
somber
profligate
reckless
"workaholic"
mean, indifferent
small-minded
kind
ren
indulgent
simplicity
KANT’S ABSOLUTISM
KANT & “The Categorical
Imperative”
1. The Formula of Universal Law : Act only
on that maxim whereby you can at the
same time will that it should become
universal law.
A “maxim” is a general rule by which the agent
intends to act and which .explains what he is doing
at the time.
First, you decide what rule you would be following if
you do that action (ex: If you are currently driving
10 miles an hour over the speed limit, then your
maxim would be, ‘Whenever I am in this situation, I
should drive 10 miles an hour over the speed
limit.’);
Next, you ask yourself if you would be willing (or truly
want) to have everyone else follow that same rule
(which would make it a universal law);
And, lastly, if you could truly be willing for everyone to
follow your little rule (maxim), then you are
contemplating a permissible act (if not, the maxim
and action must be rejected).
For Kant, moral rules have.no exceptions (which is
why they are “absolute”).
A paraphrase of the first formulation of the CI could
be stated as a question: Would I really want it to be
a law that everyone else in the world must do what
I am doing right now?
If your answer is No, I would not it to be a law that
everyone else in the world must drive 10 mph over
the speed limit (or tell a little white lie to your best
friend or fail to return a tool you borrowed from your
neighbor or look out for your own interests only and
so forth), then I should not be doing that thing
either, because I have already reasoned out that
such behavior would be morally wrong.
CI – Version 2
2. Formula of the End in Itself: Act in such a
way that you always treat humanity,
whether in your own person or in the
person of another, never as a mere means
but always at the same time as an end in
itself.
PERSONS v. OBJECTS
It is your DUTY to do the Right Thing
because it is the Right Thing – No
Exceptions!
Consequences do not matter!!!
Making you or someome else happy does not matter!!!
All that matters is that you chose to do the right thing!
If you have done the right thing and something bad happens,
it’s not your fault – because you did the right thing.
But if you did the wrong thing (such as lied) and something bad
happens, it IS your fault that something bad happened,
because YOU chose to do the wrong thing; your lie (or
whatever) was the cause of the bad thing happening.
Duties
Because Perfect Duties can be performed only one way
(i.e., Don’t do it!), Perfect Duties always win out if there
is a conflict between duties (since you can always find
another way to fulfill an imperfect Duty). And remember
that there will never be a conflict between Perfect Duties.
UTILITARIANISM
Mill
Bentham
SUMMARY
Confucian – I should do whatever is the appropriate
behavior that a virtuous person (junzi) would do in this
social role because it is my duty.
Aristotelian – I should be a virtuous person and do
whatever a virtuous person would do in this situation
because it is rational.
Kantian – I should do only that which I would want
everyone else to do (including to me).
Utilitarian – I should do whatever results in the most
amount of happiness for everyone who is concerned.
Any Questions?