Ethics Lecture One

Ethics – Lecture One 31/10/05


(quote one)

Objectives

understand words to do with ethics and morality

understand the different ways we can study ethics

understand the different types of ethics

why should we be ethical?

Key Terms:

Moral and ethics mean the same thing.

Ethics comes from the Greek ethos meaning character.

If we say that someone is moral or ethical – we usually mean that they are a good person.

We might refer to some actions as either:

(quote two)

moral

ethical

immoral

unethical

or even:

amoral

nonmoral


All of these words mean: right or wrong – but how do we know what is right and what is wrong – the study of ethics helps us to decide what is right and what is wrong.

The word amoral means having no sense of right or wrong – like the serial killer or murderer you see in the movies or a very evil person – or maybe someone who has a problem with their brain – or a baby.


The word nonmoral means those things not involved in right or wrong – like mathematics or astronomy; the study of the stars - or a car or gun – the person who uses the gun might be ethic or unethical – right or wrong – but the gun itself is neutral – not right or wrong.

An immoral person does something wrong and knows he or she is doing something wrong – while an amoral person might do something wrong but they are not aware that it is wrong.

Different ways to study ethics

The three main ways in which we can study ethics are:

(quote three)

scientific or descriptive

observe how human beings act
describe what is observed
draw conclusion

normative

should
ought to

human beings should always act to help myself (egoism)
human beings should always act to help others (altruism)
human beings should always act to help myself and others (utilitarianism)

these are prescriptions not descriptions

metaethics or analytic ethics

not prescriptive or descriptive but analytic
analyze: language, logic, and reasoning

The different types of ethics

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Religious Ethics

Environmental Ethics

Individual Ethics

Social Ethics


Religious Ethics

Ethics that deal with a human being in relation to a supernatural being or beings.

It is possible to act unethically with God while acting ethically with people.

Environmental Ethics

Ethics that deal with the human being in relation to nature.

Native Americans – Aboriginals - and others have had this ethics.

It would be possible to all by yourself on an island and still act unethically.

Individual Ethics

Ethics that someone believes themselves – whether or not society or others believe it – ie. vegetarianism.

Social Ethics

Ethics that deal with human beings relations to other human beings

This is the area of ethics that is most often dealt with in ethical theory.

Why should we be ethical?

Reasons that have been given through history for being ethical, or doing what is right:



(quote five)

Religious

Self-Interest

Tradition and Law

Religious

I will be punished by God or by a lower birth if I do right action.

Self-Interest

Doing what is good is good for me. It is good for me to live in a good world.

Tradition and Law

Traditions and laws have developed over a long time as a way to live together so we should follow them.

All of these have problems – as we will see. Some philosophers say that the best basis for being ethical – for doing the right thing is when we see that by doing the right thing – doing the right action – we can have the greatest amount of friendship, love, happiness, freedom, peace, and creativity in our lives.