Ethics/Week 2: Lecture 2 of 3

Summary

In this video, Marie Lagasca-Hiloma from the Department of Arts & Letters explores the concept of deliberate action, differentiating it from voluntary action. Deliberate actions are voluntary but with an added component of intent. While all deliberate actions are voluntary, not all voluntary actions are deliberate. The discussion also touches on the moral implications of voluntary and deliberate actions, highlighting their impact on moral culpability. Additionally, the video clarifies the two meanings of 'moral' — as voluntary and deliberate actions, and as the rightness or wrongness of those actions. The next video will cover challenges to performing moral actions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Deliberate actions are a special kind of voluntary actions that include the element of intent.
• 😀 All deliberate actions are voluntary, but not all voluntary actions are deliberate.
• 😀 Voluntary actions involve knowledge, voluntariness, and freedom, which are necessary for moral responsibility.
• 😀 Deliberate actions are more morally significant due to the presence of intent, unlike actions that are simply voluntary.
• 😀 An example of voluntary but not deliberate action is stepping on someone's foot unintentionally while riding a train.
• 😀 A deliberate action involves not just awareness and freedom, but also the specific intent to do something.
• 😀 The moral gravity of an action can depend on whether it was voluntary or deliberate.
• 😀 Homicide and murder illustrate the difference between voluntary and deliberate actions: homicide may lack intent, while murder involves premeditated intent.
• 😀 All human acts that are voluntary and deliberate are considered moral acts in a philosophical sense.
• 😀 The term 'moral' has two meanings: it refers both to the nature of an act (whether it is voluntary and deliberate) and to the moral quality of the act (whether it is right or wrong).
• 😀 In the next video, the focus will be on impediments or challenges to moral actions, which can affect how moral actions are performed and judged.

Q & A

What are the two kinds of actions discussed in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics?

The two kinds of actions discussed in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics are voluntary and involuntary actions.

What are the three aspects of a voluntary action, as mentioned in the video?

The three aspects of a voluntary action are knowledge, voluntariness, and freedom.

How does a deliberate action differ from a simple voluntary action?

A deliberate action differs from a simple voluntary action because it involves the additional component of intent. While all deliberate actions are voluntary, not all voluntary actions are deliberate, as some may lack intent.

Can you give an example of a voluntary action that is not a deliberate action?

An example is when you unintentionally step on someone's foot while riding a train. You know you did it, but you did not intend to do it, making it a voluntary but not deliberate action.

What is the key component that makes an action deliberate?

The key component that makes an action deliberate is the presence of intent. Deliberate actions are intentionally chosen and performed, in contrast to voluntary actions that may lack intent.

Why are voluntary actions considered moral actions?

Voluntary actions are considered moral actions because they are done consciously and with the ability to exercise rational faculties. They involve knowledge, voluntariness, and freedom, which are crucial elements in determining moral responsibility.

How does the concept of intent influence the gravity of moral accountability?

The presence of intent in a deliberate action increases the moral accountability or culpability associated with that action. Actions like murder, which involve intent, carry greater moral responsibility compared to actions like homicide, which may lack premeditated intent.

What is the difference between homicide and murder in terms of intent?

The main difference is that homicide refers to killing someone without intending to do so, while murder involves a premeditated intent to kill. Both are morally accountable, but murder carries greater moral culpability due to the presence of intent.

What does the term 'moral' refer to in the context of human actions?

The term 'moral' refers to two aspects: first, the nature of an action as voluntary and deliberate (as all human actions are), and second, the rightness or wrongness of the action, such as honesty being a moral act because it is both right and deliberate.

How do deliberate and voluntary actions relate to the concept of moral culpability?

Both deliberate and voluntary actions are considered moral actions, but the presence of intent in deliberate actions typically leads to greater moral culpability. This distinction is important when evaluating the ethical implications of actions like homicide versus murder.