ETHICS
DEFINED: The study and philosophy of
human conduct with emphasis on the
determination of right and wrong.
Normative Ethics
Descriptive Ethics
Metaethics
• Normative Ethics: [often called philosophical
ethics] search for norms, not in the sense of what
is average, but in the sense of authoritative
standards of what it “ought” to be.
• Descriptive Ethics: empirically based, aims to
discover and describe the moral beliefs of a
specific culture.
• Metaethics: the study of the discipline of ethics.
It attempts to determine meanings of normative
terms, e.g. right, wrong, good, bad, ought, etc.
Normative Ethics – Major Theories
• Consequentialist (Teleological)
Maintains the morality of an action is determined
by its consequences.
Teleological theories interpret moral judgements
as dependent on values and evaluation, hinging
on value theory. Hedonism as a value theory
says ONLY PLEASURE IS GOOD AS AN END.
• Utilitarianism is hedonistic because it interprets
happiness as a balance of pleasure over pain.
[John S. Mill]
• Ideal (Social) Utilitarianism is nonhedonistic,
maintaining that one ought to do that act of all
acts available (under the circumstances) that
would produce the most good. [G.E. Moore]
• Self-Realization (Perfectionism) is also
nonhedonistic, holding that the ultimate end is
the full development or perfection of the self.
• Egoism is based on the idea that everyone
always acts out of self-interest, i.e. an action is
only right if it’s in the best interest of the person.
• Situationism claims that morality of an action
depends on the situation, not on application of
law to the case.
Nonconsequentialist (Deontological)
• Deontological theories claim that the morality of
an action depends on its intrinsic nature, on its
motives, or on its being in accord with some rule
or principle.
• Theological (divine command) theory maintains
that it’s the will of god that determines
rightness/wrongness an action. Is it in accord
with the will of God? [St. Augustine]
• Categorical Imperative: For morally right
action, one must be willing to have everyone act
in the same way, i.e. qualify as a universal law.
[Immanuel Kant] Additionally, one’s actions can
only have moral worth if one’s motive for acting
was to do what is right. (no accidental moral
worth allowed)
Metaethics
• Principle approaches in metaethics are:
Naturalism, Cognitivism, Intuitionism, and
Subjectivism