POPULAR NOTIONS OF MORALITY

A. DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS or ETHICS OF DUTY

the theory of duty or moral obligation

What one is compelled to do by reason of

duty

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.

CHARACTERISTICS
UNIVERSAL

WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG FOR ONE PERSON IS THE SAME

FOR ANY OTHER PERSON ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

RATIONAL

THE TEST FOR THE RIGHTNESS OF AN ACTION IS REASON

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.

ALTRUISM

is 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.

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
whatever we choose to pursue and whatever we desire.

It 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 mans 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
"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.

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

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