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Summary Ethics (PHI2043S)
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- Ethics (PHI2043S)
- Institution
- University Of Cape Town (UCT)
Summary of all you must know for Ethics
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WEEK 1: INTRO INTO BUS ETHICSWhat is philosophy?
Philosophy is a systematized body of thought all about matters of right and wrong
and is the route to wisdom. (Experts in thinking).
Wisdom is defined as ‘experience and knowledge judiciously applied’. Ideas are wise
if they are sensibly and insightfully derived from our observations of how the world
is, and from our understanding of why it is that way.
- Ideas usually contain some piece of advice.
Academic philosophy, being one of the types, is a systematic, wide-ranging endeavor
involving a great many people applying their minds to problems.
Philosophy consists of several branches, including metaphysics (Is there God? What
is a person?) and epistemology (questions relating to knowledge – Can we every
really know anything?). Moral philosophy is another branch, which include questions
about ethics.
- experts in their fields should think like philosophers to solve their problems.
Because moral philosophy is a sub-discipline within philosophy as a whole, it
enhances our critical thinking skills.
The practice of philosophy
involves being sceptical of
What is critical thinking? the ideas we come across.
1. An attitude of being disposed to consider in a thoughtful way the problems
and subjects that come within range of ones experience.
2. Knowledge of the methods of logical enquiry and reasoning.
3. Skills in applying those methods.
Its obvious why
- It involves using logic to support ones thinking, so it relies on reasoning critical thinking
is such a
and evidence, and considers the consequences of each line of thinking necessity, as
for our beliefs. thinking is
- Critical thinkers are sceptical about ‘any beliefs or supposed form of always going to
be one of the
knowledge’. They subject all ideas to persistent scrutiny, even if those main effective
ideas are quite generally accepted by other people, and even if they are means of making
intuitively appealing to the critical thinker herself. discoveries in
ethics.
How does philosophy help with critical thinking?
The discipline of philosophy has always involved paying direct attention to thinking
itself. Studying philosophy usually involves taking at least one course in reasoning –
logic is described as a branch of philosophy.
It is so vital to philosophy Distinguishes between beliefs that are true (results from sound
that it is known as ‘the deductive reasoning), beliefs that are probably true (sound inductive
grammar of philosophy’. reasoning) and beliefs that have no good reason to hold.
, Philosophy’s ambition is to give insightful and reliable answers to fundamental
questions by way of the most careful and precise thinking available to us. And logic is
the most precise thinking system we have.
What is the difference between ethics and morality?
1. The study of principles of right
and wrong behaviour or Common meanings: Principles of right and wrong
character.
2. Codes of right or wrong
behaviour or good and bad character.
behaviour or character
applying to a certain group.
What do ‘moral’, ‘immoral’ and ‘amoral’ mean?
Immoral: (unethical) – an act or a characteristic that falls short of the standard
established by some moral principle.
Example: The standard suggests: “All employees underperforming should not be dismissed unless
they have been informed of their underperformance and given reasonable time and training to help
them improve”. Employer fires an employee without previously
informing her about her underperformance.
Amoral: (non-ethical) – no moral standard is applicable.
Example: Employer usually sends Christmas cards to employees. This year the business made a loss
so he now sends emails instead.
Moral: (ethical) – 1. Describes an act which meets a moral standard.
2. Describes the exceeding of a moral standard (supererogatory).
Immoral Amoral Moral Supererogatory
(meaning 1)
Synonym(s) Unethical, wrong Non-ethical, non- Ethical, right Moral, ethical, right
moral
Relation to the Fails to meet moral No relevant moral Meets the moral Exceeds moral
relevant moral standards standard standards standards
standards
Example Stealing from ones Smiling when greeting Being honest with Saving colleagues
employer colleagues ones employer from a fire
Moral permissibilityNot morally permissible Indifferent if acts are Not performing Performing and not
status performed or not these acts is not are both morally
both morally morally permissible permissible
permissible
Moral obligation Are morally obligated Not morally obliged Are morally Not morally obligated
status or morally obliged obligated or obliged.
- ‘Should’ and ‘should not’ are morally used terms.
- ‘ought’ and ‘ought not’.
,Distinguishing moral standards from amoral standards
For a standard of behavior to be a moral standard, it should be derived from moral principles,
for example principles avoiding harm, improving freedom, promoting equality or achieving
justice.
If someone does not meet your own standards of behavior they are not acting immorally unless
two things are true:
- your standard is a moral standard
- it is correct
*We should not presume that a standard of behavior is a moral standard simply because it is
commonly accepted within a group.
Descriptive VS Normative ethics
Descriptive: Describe a person’s or a group’s moral judgements (believe it is wrong to eat
meat). *These claims can be tested empirically – thus determine if they are true by studying the
relevant people.
Normative: Prescribe moral judgements (it is wrong to eat meat). *Cannot be tested and
establish truth on their own (more insight is needed) – but aims to help each of us know ‘what
we should do’ and ‘how we should be’.
Objective moral facts
A claim is a fact if it is true, and it is an objective fact if its truth is independent of what we or
anyone else thinks about it.
What is emotivism and why do most philosophers think that it is incorrect?
Emotivists believe that they can in fact explain moral claims without using the languages of
ethics – which contradicts what was said earlier. Emotivists say that moral claims are nothing
more than expressions of feelings.
- The ‘boo-hurrah’ theory of ethics states that when you say eg lying is wrong, you’re
simply expressing your disapproval of lying.
- Emotivists believe morality is about feelings and attitudes.
- More of an attractive way of explaining why people cannot agree about the ‘grey areas’
of ethics, however in doing so it removes all reasons for believing that anything is true
or false eg racism, rape or genocide.
*Should be rejected and one should conclude that moral facts do exist.
What is moral relativism and why do most philosophers think it is incorrect?
, Moral relativists accept that moral facts exist, but they believe that what makes these facts true
are people believing in them, to be true. Therefore, moral statements have a relative truth eg
truth relative to a community. Thus why
Violating a clearly discernible moral philosophers
*This does not mean believe what the majoritystandard.
does. Eg tribal mass murder. reject
Relativists agree with any belief because it relativism.
It simply means that if the majority has a certain
is what the community/ tribe does.
moral belief, then this is what makes the moral belief
true for them.
- They do not believe that objective moral facts exist.
- Assumes people come neatly divided up into self-contained communities with their
own value systems.
Moral guidance is often needed when people
from different groups meet and disagree. (However, One cannot establish facts by simply
relativists don’t believe it is possible identifying what people believe.
for different groups to disagree in substance about What happens when one groups belief’s
come up against another groups? 1. Choose
ethics).
majority over minority. 2. Stay true to
relativism by saying what’s right for the one
Relativists encounter a paradox that can’t be group is fine cause of their beliefs, and
resolved. By saying it is wrong to judge others what’s right for the other group is also right
because of their beliefs.
about groups’ beliefs to be wrong. However, it is
‘wrong to identify wrongness’.
What is the doctrine of divine command and why do most philosophers think that it is
incorrect?
The ‘doctrine of divine command’ states that moral facts are only true by virtue of being in
accordance with God’s will. *Views are not determined by right or wrong but in fact
determined by God.
What God wants is an objective fact, therefore making moral facts objective.
- God makes moral facts.
- However, a belief in God does not require us to believe that He could make murder
right. Not the belief of God manufacturing the facts, but rather His
directing us to act morally and to display good character.
Will you be ethical in business if you simply obey God’s advice?
Even if religion is not the source of ethical truths, it gives us a great deal of moral guidance.
Religions may give moral advice (eg. Through scripture), but they do not cover all moral
dilemmas that might be faced in business.
Will you be ethical in business if you simply obey the law?
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