week 10

Question 1

According to Gyekye, what is the difference between substantive and commitmental moral revolutions

Answer 1

substantive moral revolution is a revision of the system of moral, beliefs, values, or ideals while commitment moral revolution requires making a new an positive commitment to known and accepted moral rules.

Question 2

Why does Gyekye think that substantive moral revolution is unnecessary (while commitmental revolution is necessary) for addressing political corruption.

Answer 2

Given the distinction between the rules themselves, and the motivation of the individual, it is clear that one can know rules and yet fail to act on the. Substantive moral revolution is a revision of moral rules, but it is easy for rules to be legislated, whereas attitudes and motivations cannot. In the case of commitment revolution, there is a renewed commitment to moral rules, meaning that individuals attitudes and motivations to these moral rules are renewed. A substantive moral revolution will not lead to a commitment moral revolution.

Question 3

We discussed three conceptions of “harmony” that are generally invoked in African communitarian ethical theory. What are each of these. In your response, explain what notion of harmony that ubuntu exemplifies given our brief discussion of Desmond Tutu’s explanation.

Answer 3

shared identity: an individual conceives of themselves as part of the group, as “we”, the group also considers the individual to be a member, members share ends or goals, there is coordination of members to realize their ends.

Good will: having the right sorts of intentions to help others, motivation to act for the sake of others, success in benefitting others.

Shared identity and good will: Neither can be reduced in terms of the other- they’re logically distinct. ubuntu exemplifies the third idea and means “humanity” but requires more elaboration beyond the expression “a person is a person through other people”