Short Lectures on Ethics: Ethics in Action | David R. Keller | Episode 2

Summary

The lecture explores ethics, defined as the philosophical study of morality, emphasizing the use of reason in moral judgment. It highlights the Western intellectual tradition, which combines faith from the Hebrews and reason from the Greeks. The speaker outlines four criteria for rational ethical theories: comprehensiveness, coherence, consistency, and adequacy. Socrates is presented as a model of ethics in action, exemplified by his decision not to escape from prison despite his impending death, as he believed doing so would harm his soul by violating moral principles. The lecture underscores the importance of rationality in ethical reasoning.

Takeaways

• 📚 Ethics is defined as the philosophical study of morality, which involves making moral judgments about how best to live one’s life.
• ⚖️ Moral judgments include evaluating the character and actions of oneself and others.
• 🧠 The Western intellectual tradition, based on the Hebrews and Greeks, focuses on using reason, not just faith, to make moral judgments.
• 🔍 Rationality in ethics requires four criteria: comprehensiveness, coherence, consistency, and adequacy.
• 🐒 A comprehensive theory should include all relevant information, such as considering non-human animals in discussions about sentient life.
• 🧩 Coherence means that related concepts should form a unified theory, avoiding contradictions like mixing astrology with constitutional law.
• ❌ Consistency requires avoiding logical contradictions, as in opposing abortion but supporting the death penalty.
• 🔬 Adequacy means that ethical theories should be supported by empirical evidence, not just abstract ideas.
• 👤 Socrates serves as an exemplar of ethics in action, using reason to address moral problems, notably in Plato’s dialogue 'Crito'.
• 🗣️ In 'Crito', Socrates reasons that it’s unethical to escape prison because it would harm his soul by breaking his agreement to follow the laws of Athens.

Q & A

What is the definition of ethics as presented in the script?

Ethics is defined as the philosophical study of morality, which involves making moral judgments about how best to live one's life, including judging the character of oneself and others as well as actions.

How does the Western intellectual tradition approach ethics?

The Western intellectual tradition approaches ethics by using the tools of reason to make moral judgments, focusing on the cultural tradition stemming back to the Hebrews and the Greeks, representing faith and reason, respectively.

What are the four criteria for rationality as mentioned in the script?

The four criteria for rationality are comprehensiveness, coherence, consistency, and adequacy. A theory must include all relevant information, link related concepts into a unified whole, not be logically contradictory, and be supported by empirical evidence.

Why is Socrates considered an exemplar in reasoning about moral problems?

Socrates is considered an exemplar because he used logical reasoning to address moral problems and his conclusions guided his actions, making himself the object of rational inquiry and focusing on the inner moral world rather than the external natural world.

What is the significance of Socrates' trial and his decision not to escape in the context of ethics?

The significance of Socrates' trial and his decision not to escape lies in his demonstration of ethics in action, where he used reason to determine that escaping would harm his soul and undermine the laws of Athens, which he had agreed to live by.

How does Socrates' reasoning in the 'Crito' dialogue meet the criteria of rationality?

Socrates' reasoning in the 'Crito' dialogue is comprehensive as he considers various harms, coherent as it is unified by the theme of harm and promises, consistent as he adheres to his previous conclusions, and adequate as it addresses concrete outcomes.

What is the analogy Socrates draws between the body and the soul in the script?

Socrates draws an analogy between the body and the soul, suggesting that just as an athlete in training should listen to an expert coach for the health of the body, in matters of ethics affecting the health of the soul, one should listen to ethical experts rather than the masses.

Why does Socrates believe that escaping prison would be harmful to his soul?

Socrates believes that escaping prison would be harmful to his soul because it would involve breaking his agreement to live by the laws of Athens and undermining the authority of the law, which could damage the social structure and harm his moral integrity.

What are the two paramount conclusions that Socrates and Crito have arrived at in their conversations?

The two paramount conclusions that Socrates and Crito have arrived at are that one ought to never do harm and one ought to abide by one's agreements provided they are just.

How does the script distinguish between normative ethics and meta-ethics?

The script does not explicitly distinguish between normative ethics and meta-ethics, but it implies that normative ethics would involve the actual ethical theories and their application, while meta-ethics would involve questions about the nature and validity of those ethical theories.