UNIT #2 ETHICS AND MORALITY Flashcards
ETHICS DEFINED
Moral principles that govern a person’s or group’s behaviour
Synonyms: Moral code, moral, morality, values, right and wrongs principles, deals, standards (of behaviour),value system dictates of conscience
MORALITY DEFINED
Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong are good and bad behaviour
Synonyms: Ethics, Rights and wrongs, Ethically
What are the two ethical sytles
- Ethics of Justice
- Ethics of Care
Ethics of Justice
defined by Aristotle more than two thousand years ago—is the principle that “equals should be treated equally and unequals unequally.
People with this style tend to place a good deal of weight on moral principles, laws or policies, which they believe should be applied to all equally.
Ethics of Care
An ‘’ethic of care or responsibility’’ is founded on a sense of responsibility to reduce actual harm or suffering.
Three Approaches to Ethics
-1. Aristotle (Teleological, Purpose Given)
-2.Kant (Deontological, Duty Given)
-3.Levinas (Ethics of the Face, Relationship Driven)
Where was Aristotle Born?
Born in Stagria, northern colony of Greece bordering Macedonia
Teleology (Aristotle)
- The design, or the purpose of something
-To seek a goal, to reach one’s potential
EX. To be a good athlete you need the virtue of effort
Teleological Ethics
• For Aristotle, the supreme Good was the ultimate goal
• The good is inscribed by God into the nature of all things
• To act ethically is to engage our capacity to reason as we develop good character by acting its virtue
Happiness (Aristotle)
- Happiness, to fluoride, to live well and act well, to act with virtue. A citizen will find true happiness within their community.
Human Excellence Virtue (Aristole)
• We become virtuous by choosing continually to do virtuous things
• These actions become ingrained in us like habit
The Mean (Aristotle)
• to avoid excess, seek moderation
• Neither excess or deficiency, not too much nor too little
• Too much courage-foolhardy
• Too little courage- too afraid to do things
• The mean is in the middle
Where was Immanuel Kant born?
Born in purissa (now Germany in property- stricken, devoutly Protestant family
Deontology (Kant)
• deontology comes from the Greek words meaning “the study of duty/obligation’’
• A human action is morally good when it is done for the sake of duty
• Duty is about ‘’Good Will’’, the will to do our duty for no other reason than it is our duty.
• Good is only good if it is done out of good will and provides no personal gain
Maxim #1: Universal Law (Kant)
• Don’t confuse the fat maxim with the golden rule!
• The first maxim is about acting as if your actions were to become the universal standard.
• The first maxim is not about how we might want to be treated by others.
Maxim #2: Treat another’s as an end, not just a means (Kant)
• Act in such a way that you always treat others never simply as a mean but always at the same as an end
• Others must be seen as having value not just as a mean for our benefit but as having value in themselves
• Don’t just use a friend to drive you to the party and ditch them for the rest of the night
• Treat workers not just as a means to making profit but as ends, individuals with rights and goals.
Kant supporting concepts search for supreme good
- GOD - because humans cannot achieve the supreme good out of their own power, we need God.
- Freedom- IF HUMANS ARE TO ACHIEVE THE SUPREME GOOD THEN THEY MUST BE ABLE TO CHOOSE IT
- Immorality- achieving the supreme good is an immense task, impossible to achieve in this life. IN THE LIFE BOND WE CAN ACHIEVE THE SUPREMEM GOOD
Where was Emmanuel Levinas Born?
Born in Kaunas, Lithuania to Jewish parents
The Face as Unique (Levinas)
- The individuals are unique so we must see “The other” as unique
- To recognize the individual before us is to begin to treat them ethically
-These unique faces are traces of God, The good
-When you encounter the other in this way, you cannot escape their uniqueness
The face calls for me to be responsible (Levinas)
- The face of the other, the one in need calls me to be responsible for their well being
-To offer hospitality, act ethically
-How far should this responsibility, this generosity go? Goodness sets no limits
The face as Ethical
- When the face of the “other is one whose very existence is threatened (economic stability, security, socially marginalized, without rights), the face becomes ethical.
-Recognizing the “Other’s” misery and humility is what makes the appeal of the face ethical. - The face of he stranger demands that we recognize it and provide it hospitality
4 Types of Law
-Natural Law
-Civil Law
-Divine Law
-Canon Law
Divine Law
DIVINE LAW IS THAT WHICH ENACTED BY GO ND MADE KNOWN TO MAN THROUGH REVELATION.
WE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE OLD LAW, CONTAINED IN THE PENTATEUCH, AND THE NEW WLAW, WHICH WAS REVEALED NY JESUS CHRIST AND IS CONTAINED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
CANON LAW
Canon Law (Chruch Law) is the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members.
