ETHICS THEORIES OF ETHICS Instructor - Dr. Sikharini Majumdar Course 206, Room No.

309

Information

Class MHRM, 4th semester Location Room No. 309, Management House, IISWBM Schedule

Book(s)

Required Text Additional

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Materials

Tuesday 12 noon 1:30 p.m. Lab Tues-Thurs

Office Phone 319 Email meghpeon@gmail.com

Introduction to Ethics

The word ethics comes from the Greek ethos, meaning something like morals. In fact, ethics is defined as the systematic reflection on what is moral. In this definition, morality is the whole of opinions, decisions and actions with which people express what they think is good or right.

Introduction to ETHICS:

We can identify two kinds of Ethics: The descriptive ethics is involved with the description of existing morality. It is about facts. Descriptive judgments are therefore true or false. The prescriptive ethics is also known as the normative ethics. This branch of ethics actually judges morality. Normative judgments are therefore value judgments: they indicate whether something is good or bad.

Normative Ethics

Normative Relativism - states that all moral points of view are relative. (1) The morals of one person are not necessarily equal to the morals of another person. (2) Certain norms and values are better than other norms and values is also not acceptable. The problem with this theory is that it allows all norms and values.

Absolutism

On the other hand is absolutism, also known as universalism. It states that there is a system of norms and values that is universally applicable to everyone, everywhere at every time. Absolutism makes no exceptions: a rule is a rule. However, there is no set of norms and values that never contradicts itself. So, absolutism in general doesnt work.

Classical Theory

Socrates, the patron saint of moral philosophy: We ought never to harm anyone, We ought to keep our promises We ought to respect our parents and teachers The central theme in virtue ethics is shaping people into morally good and responsible creatures influenced by Aristotle.

Deontological maintains that the basic judgment of obligation or duty are purely particular (e.g. - Kant)

Teleological result of the deed (happiness, pleasure as opposed to pain, sadness).

Kantian Theory

Immanuel Kant has developed the most well known system of duty ethics: the Kantian theory. A core notion here is autonomy. A man should place a moral norm upon himself and obey it. This is his duty. He should then, on his own, be able to determine through reasoning what is morally correct.

Kantian Theory

The Kantian theory is part of monistic duty ethics: Universality principle: Act only on that maxim which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. Reciprocity principle: Act as to treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of any other, in every case as an end, never as means only.

Negativity of Kantian Theory of Ethics

In Kants theory, rules can not be bent. This reminds us of absolutism. So, the question arises whether all the moral laws form a consistent system of norms. Another downside is that Kantian theory prescribes to rigidly adhere to the rules, irrespective of the consequences. But in real life, following a rule can of course have very negative consequences. Kants theory does not deal with these exceptions.

Utilitarianism

Promotes greatest good of the greatest number (John Stuart Mill, teleological) The principle of utility is the ultimate standard It is to be appealed to at the level of rules rather than at the level of particular judgments. Ethical egoism one is always to do what will promote his own greatest good (Hobbes, Nietzsche)

Social Justice: Equality

Distributive justice Treating people equally (may not be identically) Does not mean making lives equally good or maintaining their lives at the same level of goodness Ethics of Love (Judeo-Christian) Utilitarian theology (John Locke)

Questions/Discussions

Question One
Discussion Discussion

Question Two

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Questions Three