CHAPTER 13 NOTES
ETHICAL THEORIES: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Ethical Theory
Weaknesses
Strengths
Buddhism
Reincarnation not proven.
Idea that “Life is suffering”
contradicted by experience.
Definitions of eightfold path
unclear.
Inclusive and egalitarian.
Promotes harmony.
Gives hope that nirvana is
attainable in this life.
Confucianism/
Taoism
Does not provide ready answers to
ethical questions
Needs of individual may be
sacrificed for good of community
Ideas of community have been used
to force conformity
Focuses on creating happiness for
the entire community
Hedonism
Pleasure is not clearly defined
(Is it physical or intellectual?)
Happiness is not clearly defined.
Having fun is a virtue. YIPPEEE!
Stoicism
May misjudge what can and cannot
be controlled.
May lead to apathy (If I cannot
control it, why bother?).
May leave one open to bullying.
Accepting things that cannot be
controlled reduces frustration and
may lead to happiness.
Virtue ethics
Rational thought may not be a
distinctly human trait (e.g., some
primates seem to use reason).
Definitions of virtues debatable
E.g. justice.
Avoids excesses.
Acknowledges the difficulty of
being good.
Suggests that people can be taught
to be good.
Existentialism
Denies that external forces play a
role in creating self, e.g. genetics.
Pessimistic outlook: life is
meaningless.
No criteria for moral values; relies
on a subjective view of right.
Provides no moral milestones for
judging actions.
Promotes autonomy.
Encourages individual
responsibility: cannot blame
external forces.
Divine
command
Requires belief in supreme
being(s).
No way of knowing whether a holy
book truly represents the word of
supreme being.
Contemporary moral issues not
dealt with in historical holy books.
Utilitarianism
Good /pleasure not clearly defined. Encourages people to consider
Assumes pleasure is always good
alternatives.
and the only good.
Moral choices must benefit others.
Could establish tyranny of majority.
Difficult to measure pleasure
accurately.
Kantian ethics
No exceptions: denies role of
empathy and compassion when
making decisions.
Ignores importance of compromise
and making connections with others
Impartiality, no exceptions to rules.
Emphasis on the intent or motive of
moral agent, regardless of
consequences.
Egoism
Makes selfishness a virtue.
Limits the development of self;
ignores the responsibility we have
to others.
Suggests people are slaves to selfinterest and lack freedom to make
choices.
Does not rule out helping others;
can support a social morality if all
agree certain conduct is in
everyone’s self-interest.
Intuitionism
Relies on people feeling
compassion. What if they don’t?
Moral choices are independent of
reasoning.
Doesn’t depend on intellectual
capabilities.
Post-modernism Does not offer specific guidelines
of what is right/wrong.
Right/wrong are clearly defined.
No need for laborious personal
dilemmas: rules are given and
straightforward.
Emphasizes historical and religious
traditions.
Subjective: allows for individual
values when making choices.