Semester Ethics Course condensed into 22mins (Part 1 of 2)
Summary
TLDRThis video script is a condensed version of an introductory ethics course, covering key philosophical theories and thinkers. It begins with Jeremy Bentham's utilitarianism, which advocates maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain, and touches on consequentialism. The script contrasts utilitarianism with Immanuel Kant's deontological ethics, which focuses on the intentions behind actions rather than their outcomes. The discussion then delves into the thought experiments of Robert Nozick and H.J. McCloskey, highlighting potential issues with utilitarianism. Peter Singer's radical claim about the moral obligation to address global poverty is also summarized, using his 'shallow pond' analogy to argue for a broader scope of moral responsibility. The script briefly mentions Aristotle's view on eudaimonia (flourishing) and the purpose of human virtues, and it promises to explore Friedrich Nietzsche's critique of morality in a follow-up video. The summary concludes with the intention to examine the existence of objective moral facts and the contributions of various philosophers to this debate.
Takeaways
- 📚 The script is a condensed version of an entire semester's Introduction to Ethics course, aiming to cover a vast subject in a single video.
- 🤔 Utilitarianism, introduced by Jeremy Bentham, is an ethical theory that suggests actions are morally required to maximize pleasure and minimize pain.
- 🔍 Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism, focusing on the outcomes of actions rather than the intentions behind them.
- 🎭 Bentham argued that all pleasures are equal, regardless of their source, which contrasts with the common belief that some pleasures are superior to others.
- 🤨 Robert Nozick's thought experiment with an 'experience machine' challenges the utilitarian focus on pleasure, suggesting there is more to human well-being than just pleasure.
- 🏛 Immanuel Kant's moral theory, known as deontology, is contrasted with utilitarianism, focusing on the intentions (maxims) behind actions rather than their consequences.
- 👮 H.J. McCloskey's 'sheriff' example illustrates a moral dilemma where utilitarianism might lead to framing an innocent person to prevent a riot, which is ethically debated.
- 💰 Peter Singer's paper 'Famine, Affluence, and Morality' argues that individuals in affluent societies have a moral obligation to donate to famine relief rather than spending on luxuries.
- 👶 Singer's 'shallow pond' example is used to argue that failing to help others in dire need is morally equivalent to allowing a child to drown in a nearby pond.
- 🌐 Proximity and the actions of others are considered as potential moral differences in Singer's argument, but he contends that they do not absolve individuals of their moral responsibilities.
- 🧐 The question of objective moral facts and whether moral rules exist independently of human opinion is a central theme of the course.
- 📉 Friedrich Nietzsche's stance on morality is hinted at, suggesting a critique of conventional morality and a different perspective on why one might choose to be moral or not.
Q & A
What is utilitarianism?
-Utilitarianism is an ethical theory introduced by Jeremy Bentham, which posits that morally right actions are those that produce the greatest total of pleasure minus pain for the most significant number of people.
What is consequentialism?
-Consequentialism is a broader type of moral theory that suggests the moral worth of an action is determined solely by its consequences or outcomes, which is a concept central to utilitarianism.
What is the significance of Bentham's essay 'Offenses against oneself'?
-Bentham's essay 'Offenses against oneself' is significant because it is one of the first writings in the English language arguing against the death penalty for homosexual acts, applying the principle of utility to argue for the acceptance of consensual adult relationships.
What is Robert Nozick's thought experiment involving an 'experience machine'?
-Robert Nozick's thought experiment with an 'experience machine' is designed to challenge the utilitarian focus on pleasure as the sole factor determining the moral value of an action. It suggests that there are other aspects of life, such as control and actual experiences, that are also important to human beings.
What is the main criticism of utilitarianism presented by H.J. McCloskey's sheriff example?
-H.J. McCloskey's sheriff example criticizes utilitarianism by suggesting that it would require the sheriff to frame an innocent person to prevent a riot, which McCloskey argues is morally wrong. This highlights a potential conflict between utilitarian outcomes and basic moral intuitions.
What is the central claim of Peter Singer's paper 'Famine, Affluence, and Morality'?
-Peter Singer's paper argues that individuals in affluent societies have a moral obligation to donate a significant portion of their wealth to relieve global poverty and famine, as failing to do so is equivalent to allowing a child to drown in a shallow pond.
What is the fundamental principle of Kant's moral theory, often referred to as deontology?
-Kant's moral theory, or deontology, is centered around the concept of a maxim, which is a general intention underlying an action. An action is morally permissible if the maxim could be willed by all rational beings as a universal law, and morally impermissible if it could not.
What is the difference between Aristotle's and Nietzsche's views on morality?
-Aristotle believed that being moral or virtuous leads to eudaimonia, a state of happiness or flourishing. In contrast, Nietzsche is known for his critique of traditional morality, suggesting that it is for 'losers' and that individuals should instead embrace their own values and will to power.
What is the concept of eudaimonia in Aristotle's philosophy?
-Eudaimonia, in Aristotle's philosophy, refers to a state of fulfillment, success, or well-being that is achieved when a person lives a life in accordance with their nature and achieves their inherent purpose or function.
What is the main question addressed in the final unit of the course?
-The final unit of the course addresses the question of whether there are objective moral facts or an objective moral law that exists independently of human opinion and sentiment.
What is the significance of the maxim in Kant's moral theory?
-In Kant's moral theory, the maxim is the intention behind an action, stripped of specific details. It is the fundamental principle that determines the moral permissibility of an action, according to whether it could be universally accepted by all rational beings.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Ethics and Utilitarianism
The script introduces the speaker, a philosophy professor, who aims to condense an entire semester's worth of an introduction to ethics course into a single video. The focus is on utilitarianism, a consequentialist ethical theory proposed by Jeremy Bentham, which posits that the morally right action is the one that maximizes pleasure while minimizing pain. The theory is ambitious in its scope, attempting to provide moral guidance in any situation based on the consequences of actions. Bentham's view is that all pleasures are equal, regardless of their source, and that everyone's pleasure and pain should be considered equally in moral calculations. However, the script also presents a challenge to utilitarianism through Robert Nozick's thought experiment involving an 'experience machine,' which suggests that there may be more to human well-being than just pleasure.
🏳️🌈 Utilitarianism, Hedonism, and Moral Dilemmas
The paragraph delves deeper into utilitarianism's underlying hedonistic assumption that pleasure and pain are the primary factors that matter morally. It discusses the historical significance of Bentham's utilitarianism, which led to progressive conclusions for his time, such as advocating against the death penalty for consensual homosexual acts. The script then presents H. J. McCloskey's ethical dilemma involving a sheriff who must decide whether to frame an innocent person to prevent a riot, questioning the utilitarian approach to moral decision-making. The paragraph ends with an introduction to upcoming topics, including Immanuel Kant's moral theory, Friedrich Nietzsche's critique of morality, and the debate on the existence of objective moral facts.
💰 Peter Singer's Radical Argument on Famine and Morality
This section of the script discusses Peter Singer's influential 1972 paper 'Famine, Affluence, and Morality,' which challenges the reader's moral intuitions. Singer argues that individuals in affluent societies have a moral obligation to donate to famine relief rather than spending money on luxuries. He uses the analogy of a shallow pond to illustrate the moral imperative to save a child from drowning, equating it with the obligation to aid those suffering from famine. Singer contends that the physical proximity to those in need is not a morally relevant factor, as relief agencies enable people to help from a distance. The paragraph concludes with the assertion that not giving to famine relief when one can afford to do so is morally equivalent to letting a child drown in a nearby pond.
🤔 Kant's Deontological Ethics and the Role of Intentions
The script outlines Immanuel Kant's deontological ethical theory, contrasting it with utilitarianism's focus on consequences. Kant's theory revolves around the concept of a maxim, which is a generalized intention behind an action. To determine the moral permissibility of an action, one must consider whether the maxim could be universally agreed upon by all parties involved. The theory emphasizes the importance of intentions over outcomes. Using the example of a promise made with the intention of breaking it, the script explains that such an action would be morally impermissible because the deceived party could not give informed consent. The paragraph also touches on the broader question of why one should be moral and hints at the differing answers provided by Aristotle and Nietzsche.
🌱 Aristotle on Virtue, Function, and Human Fulfillment
The final paragraph presented in the input discusses Aristotle's views on ethics, specifically his concept of eudaimonia, which translates to happiness, flourishing, or success. Aristotle believed that everything has a purpose or nature and that fulfilling this purpose is key to a human's happiness. He considered various aspects such as pleasure, honor, and wealth but ultimately concluded that these were not the ultimate goals for human beings. Instead, Aristotle proposed that the true good for a human lies in the possession and exercise of virtue, which involves actively living a life of virtue rather than merely possessing virtuous traits. The script ends with the professor admitting the difficulty of summarizing an entire ethics course in one video and hints at continuing the discussion in a follow-up video.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Utilitarianism
💡Consequentialism
💡Pleasure and Pain
💡Deontology
💡Hedonism
💡Sheriff's Dilemma
💡Counter-Example
💡Applied Ethics
💡Objectivity of Moral Facts
💡Eudaimonia
💡Virtue Ethics
Highlights
Professor aims to condense an entire semester-long Introduction to Ethics course into a single video.
Jeremy Bentham's introduction of Utilitarianism, a moral theory focusing on maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain.
Utilitarianism as a form of consequentialism, emphasizing the importance of the consequences of actions.
Bentham's view that all pleasures are equal, regardless of their source, in determining the moral worth of an action.
Robert Nozick's thought experiment involving an 'experience machine' to challenge the primacy of pleasure and pain.
The idea that there are aspects of human life beyond pleasure that hold moral significance, such as control, friendship, and authenticity.
Bentham's utilitarianism leading to progressive social views, such as the decriminalization of consensual homosexual acts.
H.J. McCloskey's challenge to utilitarianism through the example of a sheriff faced with framing an innocent person to prevent a riot.
Peter Singer's radical claim in 'Famine, Affluence, and Morality' that individuals in affluent societies have a moral obligation to donate to famine relief.
Singer's 'shallow pond' analogy to argue that failing to help others in need is morally equivalent to allowing a child to drown.
Immanuel Kant's deontological ethics, contrasting with utilitarianism by focusing on the moral worth of intentions rather than consequences.
Kant's theory that moral actions are those whose underlying maxims could be universally agreed upon by all parties involved.
Aristotle's concept of eudaimonia, or human flourishing, as the ultimate goal of human life, distinct from mere pleasure, honor, or wealth.
Aristotle's exploration of the function or purpose of a human being, suggesting that rationality and the exercise of virtues are key to human fulfillment.
The question of whether objective moral facts exist, independent of human opinion or sentiment, which will be addressed in the second part of the video.
The plan to discuss Friedrich Nietzsche's rejection of morality, along with the views of Plato, John Locke, and David Hume in the second part of the course summary.
Transcripts
i'm a professor of philosophy at this
university i'm going to take my entire
introduction to ethics course which
usually takes a whole semester and
condense it down into one video
i'm going to edit this video fast
[Music]
jeremy bentham looked like this he was
born in london in 1748
and he introduced a moral theory an
ethical theory called
utilitarianism utilitarianism says
roughly we are morally required to do
whatever produces the greatest total of
pleasure minus pain a theory like this
any theory like this is very ambitious
it is purporting to tell you in any
circumstance whatsoever in any situation
what the morally right thing to do is
and the first specific thing to notice
about this theory is that it's a theory
about the results of your actions what
your actions produce because
utilitarianism says that what matters
for the moral value the moral goodness
of an action is its consequences or the
outcomes that result
because of that utilitarianism is a
version of a broader type of moral
theory called consequentialism in a few
minutes and during the normal
semester-long version of this course i
would say in a few weeks we will get to
immanuel kant's moral theory which
competes with utilitarianism kant's
theory as we'll see is not a form of
consequentialism so this whole bit about
focusing on the consequences becomes
very important
very soon but for now the other thing to
notice about utilitarianism is that it
focuses on pleasure and pain those are
the things
that according to this theory matter
ultimately for whether an action is
morally good or morally bad in a work
called the rationale of reward published
in 1825 bentham says prejudice apart the
game of pushpin is of equal value with
the arts and sciences of music and
poetry if the game of pushpin furnish
more pleasure it is more valuable than
either pushpin is a simple child's game
i actually have no idea how it works or
what the game is like but the idea is
it's supposed to be a simple game like
tic-tac-toe or something like that the
point is this bentham thinks that it
doesn't matter how fancy the pleasure is
does it come from a simple game like
pushpin does it come from something
fancy like music or poetry doesn't
matter all pleasure counts the same the
only thing that matters to the moral
worth of an action is the degree or the
amount not the type but the amount of
pleasure that results from it for you
and for everybody else this is the
arithmetic theory of morality on this
theory everyone's pleasure and
everyone's pain counts equally but maybe
there's a problem with this theory the
problem seems to come from the
underlying assumption that pleasure and
pain are the things that matter the 20th
century philosopher robert nozick
attempted to bring out this problem with
what's called a thought experiment
suppose there were an experience machine
that would give you any experience you
desired super duper neuropsychologists
could stimulate your brain so that you
would think and feel you were writing a
great novel or making a friend or
reading an interesting book all the time
you would be floating in a tank with
electrodes attached to your brain should
you plug into this machine for life
pre-programming your life's experiences
what does this example show well nozik
thinks that most people would not agree
to be plugged into a machine like this
for their entire life they wouldn't want
to do it and they would be rational to
not to want to do it there must be
something that matters to us something
that's good for a human being other than
pleasure because of course the
experience machine will give you the
experience indistinguishable from real
life the experience of a very pleasant
life you'll get way more pleasure from
being in the experience machine than you
would from actually living your own life
and if it is rational to not opt to be
plugged into the experience machine then
it must be that there's a whole bunch of
things that are good for people that
matter
other than just pleasure
here are some of those things
controlling your life if you're in the
experience machine you'll get plenty of
pleasure but you won't be in control and
maybe it's important for people maybe
it's good for people to be in control we
want that and maybe we're right to want
that friendship the experience machine
would give you the experience of
friendship but of course there wouldn't
be any actual friends and so maybe
actually being friends with people is
important and that's part of the reason
why they wouldn't opt into the
experience machine doing things you know
actually doing things as opposed to
having the experience as if you were
doing them you know like i don't know
building a house or going skydiving or
whatever there's a difference between
having the experience as if you had done
those things and actually doing them and
maybe we want to do them being a kind
person or being any type of person it
seems like we want to be
a good person we want to be a good
friend we don't just want to think we're
a good person or think we're a good
friend or whatever if nozick is right
then utilitarianism is built on a kind
of mistake the idea that the main things
that matter morally to human beings are
pleasure and pain that underlying
mistake is typically called hedonism
when bentham developed utilitarianism in
the late 1700s it led him to some
surprising conclusions there's an essay
that wasn't published until after he
died called offenses against oneself
as far as we can tell this essay was the
first time anyone ever wrote in the
english language that gay sex should not
be punished by death i have been
tormenting myself for years to find if
possible a sufficient ground for
treating irregularities of the venereal
appetite with the severity with which
they are treated at this time of day by
all european nations but upon the
principle of utility i can find none
when bentham says principle of utility
he just means utilitarianism the basic
idea that what makes an action good or
bad is how much pleasure it produces and
how little pain it produces but in this
essay bentham is just sort of working
out the results of this theory on a type
of behavior that at his time was
universally condemned it was treated
very severely it just sort of falls out
of this theory that consensual
homosexual sex amongst adults is not bad
because as long as it's consensual it
produces pleasure it's the thing that
people want to do that's why they agree
to do it it just doesn't make sense
bentham seemed to realize in 1785 for us
to hang people that do this thing that
doesn't cause pain that's one specific
application of this general moral theory
but there seems to be a problem that was
pointed out by h.j mccloskey for the
theory in general
this is a famous example involving a
sheriff the story goes like this there's
a mob of people they're angry about some
crime that was committed they think they
know who committed the crime but they're
wrong the sheriff knows who really
committed the crime but the sheriff also
knows if he or she doesn't appease the
mob if he or she doesn't frame an
innocent person that the mob thinks is
guilty then the mob is going to go wild
and hundreds hundreds of innocent people
will die
in a riot according to utilitarianism
what is the sheriff supposed to do it's
pretty simple the sheriff is supposed to
do the math this is the arithmetic
theory of morality you just add up all
the pleasure and pain and it seems
obvious that the right thing for the
sheriff to do according to
utilitarianism is to frame the innocent
person in order to avoid the riot but
mccloskey thinks that this isn't right
like it's just obvious that it's wrong
for the sheriff to frame an innocent
person if that's true then
utilitarianism gets the wrong result
when it comes to this this example and
this case turns out to be a
counter-example
a counter-example is one type of
objection to a philosophical theory and
i have another video where i explain
what counter examples are and how they
work and i'll link to it somewhere or
maybe you've already seen it or i don't
know
okay so this course starts off with some
stuff about utilitarianism then we go on
to kant's theory that's in like 30
seconds then it's aristotle nietzsche
and then we come to the question of like
is there even such a thing as objective
moral facts or objective moral law are
there really moral rules that exist
independent of what we happen to think
about them our moral feelings or our
moral opinions are there real true moral
facts that govern our behavior that's
the third and final unit of this course
which in the semester comes in the you
know last few weeks of the semester but
in this case comes in like four minutes
from now but before that let's talk
about what is almost definitely the most
famous paper in applied ethics that has
ever been written it's by peter singer
and it was published in 1972
peter singer looks like this i once got
to have dinner with him after an
academic talk the paper is called famine
affluence and morality and in this paper
singer makes a very radical claim
everyone that you've ever met is a
morally bad person the circumstance that
we find ourselves in today in our
relatively wealthy societies is such
that
we must we're morally obliged to give
the money that we would otherwise spend
on luxuries like clothes that we don't
really need or food from a restaurant
that we don't really need because we
could cook the food at home we need to
spend that extra luxury money giving it
away to people who need that money in
order to survive he's talking about
giving money to organizations like oxfam
or unicef these are organizations that
very efficiently take your money and
transport it across the world and use it
to literally save people's lives people
who very well might die of famine famine
there's not enough food they would die
of famine within the next few days or
weeks but instead they get to live
singer writes because giving money is
regarded as an act of charity it is not
thought that there is anything wrong
with not giving the charitable man may
be praised but the man who is not
charitable is not condemned people do
not feel in any way ashamed or guilty
about spending money on new clothes or a
new car instead of giving it to famine
relief indeed the alternative does not
occur to them this way of looking at the
matter cannot be justified he thinks
that it's not okay
to buy coffee at a coffee shop because
buying coffee at a coffee shop is a
luxury you could make that coffee at
home he thinks that that extra money
must be given to famine relief because
these famines are going on and if you
don't give to famine relief you're doing
something evil every day okay that's
like a kind of radical moral claim what
is his argument for that part of his
argument comes from a famous shallow
pond example if i am walking past a
shallow pond and see a child drowning in
it i ought to wade in and pull the child
out this will mean getting my clothes
muddy but this is insignificant while
the death of the child would presumably
be a very bad thing if someone came to
your house
and said hey on my way here i saw this
little child drowning to death in a
shallow pond i could have stepped into
the pond and saved the child's life but
it would have cost me something i would
have gotten my pants wet and so i just
let the child die if someone said that
to you you would think that they're evil
and you would ask them to leave your
home immediately saving the child in the
shallow pond is not some extra nice
thing no no no no saving the child in
the shallow pond is the bare minimum
morally speaking singer thinks that your
situation in which you can give to
famine relief is morally identical with
the situation in which a person walks
past the shallow pond in which a child
is drowning
well there must be some differences well
singer considers some potential
differences between the circumstance
that you find yourself in and this
circumstance one is proximity the person
who walks past the shallow pond is very
physically close to this child drowning
whereas you are physically distant from
people who are dying of famine on the
other side of the planet but is
proximity morally relevant
well one way that proximity can be
morally relevant is that sometimes
proximity indicates whether you have the
power to help or not if you are mere
feet away from the pond then you can
help because you're close by and
normally you can't save a person on the
other side of the planet because you
can't get there in time but singer
points out that because of the existence
of these relief agencies you can help
them so because of their existence
proximity is not a is not a morally
relevant difference between these two
cases another potential difference is
that there's other people in the case of
famine relief there are other people who
could help and they're not helping does
that make a moral difference singer
thinks that it doesn't you could modify
the shallow pond example by supposing
that there's a whole bunch of other
people who can see this child drowning
suppose that they're not helping the
fact that they don't help doesn't seem
to mean that you don't have to either if
someone showed up at your house and said
i passed by this child i didn't want to
help him but there were all these other
people they didn't help either so i'm
good right no you're not good you're a
monster get out of my house the fact
that there's other people who could help
but who don't just doesn't seem relevant
but the main thing to take away about
this paper is that the conclusion is
radical everyone who reads it thinks
there's got to be something wrong with
this argument but no one can figure out
what the problem is
okay next up is kant aristotle friedrich
nietzsche plato and then the question of
whether there are any objective moral
facts at all here we go
emmanuel kant was a philosopher who
lived his entire life in the town of
konigsberg from 1724 to 1804. his moral
theory is often called deontology you
don't have to know what that word means
you can just think of it as kant's
theory the theory is very complicated so
usually i have my students read a
summary of part of kant's moral theory
or ethical theory by a philosopher a
very well well-known still-living
philosopher named onora o'neil and so
this is my summary of o'neill's summary
of kant
kant's theory is built around the idea
of a maxim a maxim is a kind of
intention when you intend to act except
for with certain specific details
removed so for example if i intend to
promise you that i'm going to go to your
recital or whatever well that's my
intention the maxim that i'm operating
under might be something like promise to
do something in the future promise to do
something in the future is less specific
than promise to go to your recital
kant's theory goes like this when
determining whether an action is right
or wrong you figure out what the maxim
is that that action is based on we
already know that this theory is
dramatically different from
utilitarianism because utilitarianism
was about the results or the
consequences of an action but kant's
theory focuses entirely or almost
entirely on the maxim the intentions
what you have in mind when you act these
are two totally different things the
results of your action and your
intention
or your your thoughts your purposes okay
so for kant it's the intentions or the
maxim that matters you look at the maxim
that the action is based on and you ask
the following question is this maxim
something that everyone involved in the
action could potentially agree to if the
answer is yes then that action is
morally permissible if the answer is no
then that action is morally
impermissible not allowed bad evil no
good o'neill writes for example one
person may make a promise to another
with every intention of breaking it if
the promise is accepted then the person
to whom it was given must be ignorant of
what the promiser's intention or maxim
really is and since the person who is
deceived doesn't know that real maxim he
or she can't in principle consent
to his or her part in the proposed
scheme of action notice that kant's
theory gets a very different result on
that sheriff example than utilitarianism
did think of the maxim that the sheriff
would be acting on were he or she to
frame an innocent person the maxim would
be something like try to avoid some
terrible thing
by doing some other terrible thing
framing someone who didn't commit a
crime well there's someone involved who
could never would never consent would
never agree
to this way of acting and that's the
person who'd be framed and so unlike
utilitarianism kant's moral theory says
that the sheriff should not frame the
innocent person in order to prevent the
riot so at this point we're like six
weeks into the semester and we've been
talking about the question of which
actions are morally good and which
actions are morally bad but even if we
can answer that question even if we can
agree on which actions are morally good
and which actions are morally bad
there's the question of why do those
actions that is why be moral
here are two very famous philosophers
who have answers to this sort of
question
aristotle's answer as we will see in
about 20 seconds is because it will make
you happy
nietzsche's answer which we will see in
maybe 40 or 50 seconds is don't why be
moral don't morality is for losers
aristotle thought that all things that
exist have a nature or an essence not
just people but rocks and mountains and
animals everyone has a purpose that they
are striving towards and the degree to
which you achieve this purpose or this
goal that is built into you in nature is
the degree to which you are fulfilled
and aristotle's word for this is
eudaimonia
at the beginning of his famous work of
moral philosophy nicomachean ethics
which was named for his son nico
aristotle discusses what eudaimonia what
happiness or flourishing or success for
a creature for a human being what that
is is it pleasure is that the goal of a
human being no he just sort of says that
this is suitable for beasts is it honor
is that the thing that allows a human
being to flourish no aristotle says
because honor depends too much on other
people whatever it is that is the good
for a human being is something that
other people can't just decide to take
away from you whenever they want to take
it away but that's exactly what they can
do with honor is it wealth a lot of
people pursue wealth as if that's the
thing that is fulfillment for a human
being no it's not wealth because wealth
is only something that you want because
it leads to something else the only
purpose of money is to spend that money
either today or tomorrow or years from
now having money isn't good money is
only good for other things and so
whatever the good for a human being is
it's not you know something that's just
wanted for something else so wealth is
out okay final option is it the
possession of virtue
having a good character possessing
virtue is that what it is for a human
being to flourish aristotle says
actually no no it's not because merely
having virtues like being a courageous
person or being a good person or
whatever merely having these virtues is
compatible with being asleep your whole
life you could be asleep your whole life
and have these characteristics but you
never get to act on them that wouldn't
be a good life that wouldn't be
successful that wouldn't be an example
of a human being flourishing
okay aristotle fine then just tell us
what is the good for a human being to
figure out the answer aristotle thinks
he has to figure out what the function
or purpose of a human being is
today we don't think of people as having
a function or a purpose in the same way
that aristotle did but okay he thinks
that if he can figure out what the
function or purpose of a human being is
then that will tell him what will
satisfy a human what will allow them to
succeed in their life
the first option he considers is
nutrition and growth is that the
function or purpose of a human being no
because that's not unique to human
beings that's also something that plants
do
what about perception is the purpose or
function of a human being to know the
world around it to perceive it maybe
even move within it no that's also not
unique to human beings because animals
do that
the purpose or function of a human being
has to be something that involves this
thing that is distinctive of humans
aristotle thinks and that is rationality
okay well what is the activity that
centrally involves rationality aristotle
thinks that it is exercising the virtues
by exercising he means actually doing it
actually living a courageous life
actually doing good things he thinks
that if you do that then you'll be
fulfilled well let's just flip this
around why be moral or why be virtuous
is another way to put it why be virtuous
well because it will make you happy or
as aristotle would put it fulfilled
flourishing successful
you know what this was too hard i don't
think i can do it i don't think i can
summarize my whole ethics course in one
video i haven't even gotten through
nietzsche we're like halfway through the
semester and i'm exhausted so i think
i'm gonna have to make this video two
parts this will be the first part and
the next part we'll start up with
nietzsche we'll get his answer to why be
moral which is don't be moral morality's
for losers we'll start with that and
then we will go on to the question which
will occupy us for several minutes and
during the normal semester several weeks
of whether there are objective moral
facts that apply to everyone everywhere
and to do that we're gonna have to talk
about plato and john locke and david
hume and a whole bunch of other things
you
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