Framework and Principle behind our Moral Disposition

Summary

The video explores key ethical frameworks, starting with Aristotle's virtue ethics, which emphasizes character and moral virtues as central to living a good life. It then transitions to Aquinas' natural law, which stresses that moral actions align with rational human nature. Kant's deontological ethics, focused on duty and the categorical imperative, is discussed next. Utilitarianism, which values the consequences of actions based on the happiness they produce, and John Rawls' theory of justice as fairness are also covered, highlighting various approaches to moral decision-making in human life and society.

Takeaways

• 💡 Virtue ethics emphasizes character and virtue over duty or consequences in moral decision-making.
• 📜 Aristotle defines a virtuous person as someone with ideal character traits, and moral actions are those that align with these virtues.
• ❤️ Saint Thomas Aquinas argues that no human act is morally right unless it aligns with love of self and neighbor.
• 🌀 Aristotle's concept of 'telos' implies that all human actions are directed toward a final goal or 'end,' which is typically something good.
• ⚖️ Aristotle believes that moral virtues lie between extremes, a concept called the 'doctrine of the mean,' achieved through observation and correction.
• 😊 Aristotle defines happiness ('eudaimonia') as the ultimate goal or supreme good of human action.
• 🔑 Aquinas' natural law theory asserts that moral requirements can be discovered by rational beings and guide actions towards the right path.
• 🛡️ Aquinas' four cardinal virtues—prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance—are essential in making moral decisions and leading a virtuous life.
• 📏 Kant's categorical imperative suggests that moral laws should be followed out of duty, and actions must be universalizable to be morally good.
• 📊 Utilitarianism, as a consequentialist theory, measures the morality of an action by the happiness or pleasure it produces, aiming for the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

Q & A

What is the main focus of virtue ethics according to Aristotle?

Virtue ethics, as emphasized by Aristotle, focuses on the role of character and virtue in living a good life rather than simply fulfilling duties or aiming for specific consequences. The moral code under this theory is to act as a virtuous person would in any given situation.

How does Aristotle define a virtuous person?

Aristotle defines a virtuous person as someone who possesses ideal character traits that guide their actions towards good ends. These virtues are developed over time through practice and reflection.

What is 'telos' according to Aristotle, and how does it relate to human actions?

Telos, in Aristotle's philosophy, refers to the ultimate purpose or goal of human actions. He argues that every human action is directed toward a desired end, and ideally, the end should be good, leading to eudaimonia, or happiness, which he considers the supreme good.

What does Aristotle mean by the 'Doctrine of the Mean'?

The 'Doctrine of the Mean' refers to Aristotle's belief that moral virtues lie between two extremes: excess and deficiency. Achieving virtue involves finding a balance, or the right amount of virtue, through observation and moderation.

What are the key differences between Aristotle's and Aquinas' views on virtue ethics?

While both Aristotle and Aquinas emphasize the importance of virtue, Aquinas integrates the concept of love and divine law into his ethics. He believes that no human act is morally good unless it aligns with love of self, neighbor, and God, and respects the well-being of all human beings.

What are the four cardinal virtues according to Aquinas?

The four cardinal virtues according to Aquinas are prudence (wise decision-making), justice (respecting others' rights), fortitude (courage in the face of danger), and temperance (self-control and moderation).

What does Kant mean by the 'good will'?

Kant defines the 'good will' as the only thing that is good without qualification. It represents the highest good because it acts solely from the motive of doing what is right, without being influenced by subjective factors like pleasure or outcomes.

How does Kant's 'categorical imperative' guide moral decision-making?

Kant's categorical imperative asserts that moral actions are obligations that must be followed universally, without conditions. One should act only according to maxims that can be consistently willed as universal laws, and treat humanity as an end in itself, not merely as a means.

What is utilitarianism, and how does it evaluate the morality of actions?

Utilitarianism, also known as consequentialism, evaluates the morality of actions based on their consequences, specifically the amount of happiness or pleasure they produce. An act is considered morally right if it maximizes pleasure and minimizes pain for the greatest number of people.

How does John Rawls' concept of justice differ from other theories?

John Rawls' concept of justice, called 'justice as fairness,' emphasizes equity over equality. He believes justice should be distributed in a way that benefits both those who have more and those who have less, aiming to promote the common good. His two key principles are equal basic liberties for all and the arrangement of social and economic inequalities to everyone's advantage.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Aristotle's Virtue Ethics

The focus of virtue ethics is on character and the virtues that define a person, rather than duty or consequences. Aristotle emphasizes that a virtuous person possesses ideal character traits and that human actions are directed towards achieving the 'good'. He introduces the concept of 'telos', where all actions lead to an end, which is inherently good. Aristotle’s criteria for goodness include the finality of an action and its self-sufficiency. He distinguishes between moral and intellectual virtues, stating that moral virtue lies in moderation, and intellectual virtues involve wisdom and understanding. Ultimately, Aristotle claims happiness, or 'eudaimonia', is the supreme good and the ultimate end of human actions.

05:01

⚖️ Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Natural Law

Aquinas emphasizes that natural law reflects moral requirements and can be discovered by rational beings. It guides human actions towards what is right. The natural law, inherent in rational creatures, calls humans to recognize their role in divine life and to act in accordance with virtues like prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. Prudence involves careful deliberation before acting, justice ensures respect for others' property, fortitude provides courage in dangerous situations, and temperance promotes moderation in the pursuit of pleasures. These cardinal virtues guide human behavior in alignment with moral law.

10:02

🛡️ Kant’s Deontological Ethics and Categorical Imperative

Kant argues that the only unconditionally good thing is goodwill, which drives moral actions. He emphasizes acting from a sense of duty rather than subjective desires, such as pleasure. Kant introduces the concept of the categorical imperative, which is a moral command that must be followed regardless of circumstances. His two formulations of the categorical imperative are: (1) act according to a maxim that can become a universal law and (2) treat humanity as an end in itself, never as a means to an end. These principles ensure respect for others and universality in moral actions.

15:03

⚖️ Legal vs. Moral Rights and Utilitarianism

Legal rights are granted by birth or choice, while moral rights are governed by rationality and consequences of actions. Humans, as rational beings, can deliberate the outcomes of actions, balancing pleasure and pain. Utilitarianism, or consequentialism, evaluates the morality of actions based on their outcomes, specifically the amount of happiness or pleasure produced. The theory stresses that actions are morally right if they result in the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Utilitarianism is also applied in economics and business decisions through cost-benefit analysis, though the challenge remains in quantifying pleasure and pain.

⚖️ Justice, Fairness, and Distributive Justice

The concept of justice as fairness, proposed by John Rawls, emphasizes equitable distribution of rights and resources to promote the common good. Rawls argues that justice should ensure equal basic liberties and fair distribution of social and economic inequalities. He outlines different types of distributive justice, including egalitarian, capitalist, and social, where resources are allocated based on need, contribution, or equality. Rawls also emphasizes the importance of inclusive economic growth, where opportunities are created for all members of society, and the role of government in ensuring fairness through taxation and public services.

Keywords

💡Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics is a philosophical theory that emphasizes the importance of character and virtue in ethical decision-making, rather than focusing on duty or consequences. In the video, it is presented as the idea that one should act as a virtuous person would, following ideals like courage, justice, and moderation to live a good life. Aristotle's focus on 'eudaimonia' or happiness as the supreme good is central to this approach.

💡Telos

Telos refers to the ultimate goal or purpose of human action. Aristotle's concept of telos suggests that every action has an end, which can be either good or bad, but for Aristotle, the end is always aimed at achieving the good. This idea is critical to understanding his virtue ethics, as human actions are directed towards achieving happiness or eudaimonia.

💡Eudaimonia

Eudaimonia, often translated as happiness or flourishing, is the highest good in Aristotle’s virtue ethics. It is not merely a temporary state of pleasure, but rather a fulfilling life lived in accordance with virtue. The video stresses that all human actions aim towards eudaimonia, making it the ultimate telos or end goal of ethical decision-making.

💡Moral Virtue

Moral virtues are qualities that guide human behavior towards good action, such as courage, justice, and temperance. Aristotle’s ethics emphasize the development of these virtues as the key to living a morally good life. The video explains that moral virtues exist as a balance between excess and deficiency, which is referred to as the 'doctrine of the mean.'

💡Doctrine of the Mean

The Doctrine of the Mean is Aristotle's idea that moral virtue lies between two extremes: excess and deficiency. For example, courage is the mean between recklessness (excess) and cowardice (deficiency). The video emphasizes this doctrine as a method of achieving balance in one's virtues through observation and correction.

💡Natural Law

Natural law, as discussed in the video, refers to a moral framework proposed by Saint Thomas Aquinas. It suggests that moral principles are inherent in human nature and can be discovered through reason. Aquinas asserts that this law reflects the divine will and is designed to guide human beings towards their ultimate end, which is participation in the divine life.

💡Cardinal Virtues

The cardinal virtues are fundamental moral virtues identified by Aquinas: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. These virtues form the basis of ethical behavior, guiding individuals in making wise decisions, treating others fairly, showing courage, and exercising self-control. The video emphasizes their importance in moral decision-making according to Aquinas' natural law theory.

💡Categorical Imperative

The categorical imperative is a key concept in Immanuel Kant’s moral philosophy, emphasizing that moral laws must be universal and apply to all rational beings without exception. The video outlines two formulations of the categorical imperative: one that requires acting according to a rule that can become a universal law, and another that demands treating humanity as an end, not merely as a means.

💡Consequentialism

Consequentialism, as presented in the video, is a theory that judges the morality of an action based on its outcomes or consequences. It is closely associated with utilitarianism, which focuses on maximizing happiness or pleasure. In this framework, actions are morally right if they result in the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people.

💡Justice as Fairness

Justice as fairness is a concept from John Rawls’ ethical theory, where justice is defined by principles of equality and fairness within a society. The video explains Rawls' view that justice involves distributing basic rights and opportunities equally, while allowing for social and economic inequalities only if they benefit everyone, particularly the least advantaged members of society.

Highlights

Virtual ethics focuses on character and virtue in life rather than duty or consequences.

Aristotle's view: A virtuous person is someone who has ideal character traits.

Saint Thomas Aquinas: A morally good act aligns with love of self and neighbor and respects the well-being of all.

Aristotle’s ethical framework emphasizes that every action has a direction (telos) and the ultimate end is good.

Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean: Moral virtues lie between excess and deficiency, achieved through moderation.

Moral and intellectual virtues: Intellectual virtues such as wisdom and understanding complement moral virtues.

For Aristotle, happiness (eudaimonia) is the ultimate telos or end of human actions.

Saint Thomas Aquinas emphasizes the natural law, which is discoverable by rational beings and guides moral behavior.

The four cardinal virtues according to Aquinas: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.

Kant’s categorical imperative: Moral commands are unconditional and must be followed out of duty, not for subjective ends.

Kant’s respect for persons principle: Treat humanity not merely as a means, but always as an end.

Utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of actions, with the goal being the maximization of happiness.

Bentham’s utilitarian calculus: An action is moral if it produces more pleasure than pain.

Justice and fairness according to John Rawls: Society should distribute goods equitably, promoting the common good.

Rawls’ two principles: Equal basic liberties for all, and social and economic inequalities arranged to everyone's advantage.

Transcripts

lesson

one virtual ethics of aristotle

virtual ethics is the general term for

theories that put emphasis

on the role of character and virtue in

living one's life

rather than in doing one's duty or

acting to bring about the consequences

for virtue ethicists the moral code

would be

act as a virtuous person would act in

your situation

most virtual ethics juries take their

inspiration from aristotle

who declare that a virtuous person is

someone who has ideal character traits

there is also saint thomas aquinas who

asserted

that no human act is morally good or

right in the sense of not wrong

unless it is in line with love of self

and neighbor

and thus with respect for the basic

aspects of the well-being

of each and all human beings not only

in the motives or attention with which

it is chosen

and in the appropriateness of the

circumstances but also

in its object more precisely the object

or closet in intention of the choosing

person

under the ethical framework of aristotle

talos means a lot that we need be aware

of every action we make

for him what we do entails direction

all our human action will lead to one

desired end

the end of human act is either good or

bad

but for aristotle in his nicomashian

ethics

the end is something that is good there

are two things about the end

as good 1. aristotle insists

that any good is achievable nothing in

real life that good

and is not achievable by human action

secondly a reaction that aims in

achieving the good

is the tallest or end of human actions

it only means

that the result of our ethical decision

making is good

simply our understanding of the good may

not necessarily

good to others these are the two

features that serve criteria of

determining the good

one the finality of the object of human

action has two views

the dominant harmonistic view this

claims that the aim of every act

is good and the inclusivist view

this claim that good which is the result

of the series of human acts

secondly the self-sufficiency of the

object of human action

this means that the object of the act

must be something that will make

life worthwhile

the word character means the development

of the personality

that resulted in the application of

virtues while the word

habit means that certain human acts are

being carried out frequently

it only means that when a person carries

a certain act

only once it is just a plain act and not

a habitual act there are two kinds

of virtues moral virtues and

intellectual virtues

the role of the intellectual virtue

complements moral virtue

there are two classifications under the

intellectual virtue

the intellectual virtual wisdom and the

intellectual virtue of

understanding moreover the moral virtues

over this data

when put into action should be observed

moderation

peace moderation entails that one has to

avoid

what is axis or the fact in action

aristotle suggests

that the moral virtues are in the middle

between too much

and too little it is also called the

doctrine

of the mean how are we going to achieve

the right amount of virtues as to avoid

the axis and the fact

aristotle has the answer by observation

and correction those axes and effect in

our conduct

happiness as virtue therefore

for aristotle all human acts that we

undertake

must have to have the ultimate talus or

end

he is referring to happiness or in greek

eudemonia

as the supreme good

lesson 2 virtual ethics of saint thomas

aquinas

natural law aquinas insists that the

natural law

expresses moral requirements

conversely this natural law has to be

discovered by any human beings

by what to do and what not to do and

guide their action towards the right

direction

the repercussion is that since only

rational creatures can discover and obey

the law

hence it is only they who can disobey

them

the natural and its tenant this law is

discoverable by

any rational creatures and unknowable

for irrational ones

it is already given above the natural

law

is already present in us who are

rational beings all we have to do

is to recognize that we are his

creatures and that we are called to

participate

in the divine life of the highest being

in order to have

a fullness of being the four cardinal

virtues

are prudence justice fortitude

and temperance prudence

if we encounter a moral dilemma we do

not rush

into conclusion without considering the

pros and cons of our act

and more so what is right and what is

wrong

if we do so then there is a big

possibility of committing an immoral act

than moral one

justice if a thing belongs to you

then everyone should respect it and not

own it or if it belongs to someone

then we must not treat it as ours

fortitude this habit is an exercise of

courage

to face any dangers one encounters

without fear

especially when life is at stake

temperance this habit is an exercise of

control

in the midst of strong attraction to

pleasures

the key word here is moderation

can't and the right theorists kant

claims that the only good without

qualification is the goodwill

hatreds the good will as the highest

good since its end will always be good

other matters such as fortune or power

or intelligence or other traditional

virtues are not enjoying the state of

highest good

since they can be used by rational

beings for bad ends

but what makes the world good is simply

by virtue of volition

to code to act morally is to act from no

other motive than motive of doing what

is right

this kind of motive has nothing to do

with anything as subjective as pleasure

to do right out of principle is to

recognize an objective right that poses

an

obligation on any rational being

categorical imperative for can

moral commands are always categorical

and not hypothetical

in speaking about categorical it is all

about odd

that is to say one is ought to do the

moral law

in the absence of conditions since it is

simply done out of duty

this categorical imperative comes from

the nature of the law

a sort of imposing obligation

two formulas of the imperative written

by kant in his two writings

the first one says act only according to

a maxim

by which she can at the same time will

that is

shall become a universal law the second

says

act in such a way that you always treat

humanity

whether on your own person or in the

person of any other

never simple a means but always at the

same time as in

end from the two formulas are the two

principles or determiners of moral

imperatives

the respect for person and the

universability

the respect for person is the basic

thing about how we treat people we

encounter in our daily living

for kent any act that is good happens

only when we deal with other people not

as merely means

it is all about dealing people just

because we want something from him or

her

and we cannot have the ones without them

the second one is

universability that is an act is capable

of becoming a universal law

an act is considered as morally good if

a maxim or law can be made universal

that maxim or law is made not only for

herself but also for others as well

to perform or to prohibit sometimes

when we follow the maxim or law it

becomes either subjective or personal

in order to avoid this to happen that

maxim or law is put to task by the

principle of universability

the particular maxim or law becomes

morally good

when everyone can fulfill them

these two determiners are different in

ways of coming up

of the same moral course of action if

the respected person

will be out of reach in every

universalizing

then there is always contradiction the

reason is simply that every person has

intrinsic worth or dignity

in the same manner whatever that

pertains to the consideration of

treating every person

as means and an end is always

universalizable

different kinds of moral rights legal

versus moral right

legal rights this entitlement is

acquired either by birth or by choice

by birth means that one is born within a

certain territory such as the

philippines

by choice means every filipino has the

option to stay

a citizen of the republic or denounce it

and embrace other citizenship

moral rights with freedom every act

they execute accompanies moral

consequences

becomes possible human beings are not

the only beings gifted with rationality

with rationality everything they do

comes to rational deliberation

whether certain course of action would

lead to a desired result without regrets

or undesired results with undesired

consequences

humans can determine which action plan

would yield more pleasure

than pain and vice versa like

utilitarian

and only humans can give different

dimension of meanings to pleasure

and pain lesson

4 utilitarianism the theory of

utilitarianism

sometimes called consequentialism

focuses

on the effect of a particular end for

dallas called happiness

first is the basis for an act to be

treated as morally right or wrong

is in its consequences they produce it

is known as consequentialism

what is there in a consequence that

makes it morally right

it is only hilarious the presence of

happiness

the second point is what matters in

everything that we do

will be the amount of pleasure produced

one must not forget the element of

happiness in assessing the morality of

the app

if there is no pleasure yielded then the

act is morally wrong

happiness is comparative that is there

will be great happiness

greater happiness and greatest happiness

[Music]

the third point which is happiness

experienced by every person is counted

the same

it means that every person's happiness

is taken into account

and no one is left behind how are we

going to use such

methods

and he understands happiness as a

pleasure this pleasure has a partner

which is pain he believes that the world

covered by these two principles

it follows that human beings are

inclined more on achieving happiness

and as much as possible avoid what is

painful business fascination

end with utilitarianism how the

utilitarianism being used in the

business world

the manager or the economist has to

consider the amount of utility for each

individual

and amount of utility for a whole

society the same computation is being

used amount of pleasure

minus amount of pain where of course the

amount of pleasure should be greater

than amount of pain

the second problem is that pleasure

cannot be measured

precisely in terms of quantity and

quality

there is no valid and reliable

instrument to measure it

the difference between calculus of

bentham and analysis

is that economists would use monetary

units

that represent benefits or advantages

and drawback oral disadvantages

the benefit is lesser than amount spent

then it is not worth it therefore it is

pain the cost benefit

analysis is commonly used only as means

for making decisions

such as major investments and on matters

of public policy

some would say that the life of a human

being is worth more than a thousand

house in law

purchased in an exclusive subdivision

while other economists and businessmen

would intentionally exclude such an

example in their decision-making

lesson 5 justice and fairness promoting

the common good

in the light of the free tuition law the

republic act

109.1 also known as

the universal access to quality tertiary

education act

signed by president duterte in 2016

all college students have the privilege

to enroll in any state's colleges

and state universities without paying

the tuition

and other fees

role proposes justice as fairness as an

ethical framework these framework

focuses on how justice

should be distributed that would yield

fairness for those who have more

and those who have less the term

fairness were not

an equality but as equity

for all he understands justice where

there is fairness

among members of the society with the

goal of promoting

their common good the two principles are

as followed

first each person is to have an equal

right to the most extensive scheme of

equal basic liberties

compatible with a similar scheme of

liberties for

others second social and economic

inequalities

are to be arranged so that they are both

reasonably

expected to be everyone's advantages and

attached to positions in office open to

all

lesson outline the nature of the theory

distributive justice egalitarian

distributive

capitalist distributive social

distributive

the benefits received principle and the

role of economics

and inclusive growth the nature of the

theory

for roles justice is the first virtue of

a social institution

and therefore it is expected that he

would always think of a society

exercising justice distributive

justice everyone on the society has to

share both the burden

and the benefit of whatever the society

offers

egalitarian distributive justice as

egalitarian

one is concerned with a just

distribution in terms of receiving an

equal share

two kind of distributive justice under

egalitarianism

political egalitarianism where legal

rights of every citizens observed

economic egalitarianism where the

distribution of socio-economic goods is

quality observe

capitalist distributive justice if one

contributes more

one receives more if one contributes

less

one receives less social distributive

justice

if one has a greater needs then one

expect that he's share

is greater in the distribution scheme

and vice versa the benefits

received principle all of us are paying

taxes to the government

both direct and indirect that is

from economic perspective in return we

expect

better service from them

the role of economics and inclusive

growth

the economic growth under inclusive

growth must create

opportunities for all people

you