Introduction to Ethics

Summary

This lecture provides an introduction to ethics, exploring its origins in ancient Greece and key concepts such as moral realism versus subjectivism, Hume's is-ought problem, and the distinction between teleological and deontological ethical theories. The lecture also questions whether ethics can truly transform individuals into virtuous beings, citing perspectives from philosophers like Immanuel Kant, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Richard Taylor. Ultimately, it emphasizes the practical aim of ethics in determining how one ought to live and the importance of pursuing meaningful goals in life.

Takeaways

• 📚 Ethics is a philosophical discipline originating from ancient Greece with Socrates and the sophists as early moral philosophers.
• 🔍 Ethics is defined as the study of what is good and bad to pursue in life and what is right and wrong to do, focusing on practical guidance for conduct.
• 🏷️ Morality is described as standards of right and wise conduct, determined by reason rather than custom, distinguishing it from descriptive disciplines like anthropology.
• 🤔 Key questions in ethics include understanding what makes actions moral or immoral and why one should act according to ethical theories.
• 🌐 Meta-ethics deals with the nature of ethical statements and whether morality is objective, questioning if moral judgments can be true or false independently of personal opinions.
• 🙅‍♂️ Moral subjectivism posits that moral judgments are personal opinions with no objective truth value, in contrast to moral realism which asserts the existence of objective moral truths.
• 🔍 The 'is-ought' problem, or Hume's law, questions whether one can derive normative statements ('ought to be') from descriptive statements ('is') about the world.
• 🌐 Theological (consequentialist) and deontological ethical theories differ in their basis for evaluating actions as moral or immoral, with the former focusing on consequences and the latter on inherent duties.
• 🌟 Theological theories include egoism, utilitarianism, and hedonism, which identify happiness, pleasure, or general welfare as the ultimate end of life.
• 📜 Deontological theories emphasize the authority of moral duties, independent of consequences, often linked to divine law or other forms of moral authority.
• 🤷‍♂️ Debates exist on the effectiveness of ethics in transforming individuals into virtuous beings, with some philosophers skeptical of its practical impact on behavior.

Q & A

What is the origin of ethics as a philosophical discipline?

Ethics originated in ancient Greece over 2,000 years ago, with Socrates and the sophists from ancient Athens being considered the first moral philosophers in Western civilization.

How is ethics defined in the context of the script?

Ethics is defined as the study of what are good and bad ends to pursue in life and what it is right and wrong to do in the conduct of life, making it a practical discipline aimed at determining how one ought to live and what actions one ought to take.

What is the distinction between morality and ethics?

Morality is defined in the script as standards of right and wise conduct, the authority of which is determined by reason rather than custom. Ethics, on the other hand, is the discipline that studies these standards and seeks to understand and prescribe how one should act.

What is the normative realm in ethics?

The normative realm in ethics refers to the aspect of the discipline that is concerned with prescribing how one should act, as opposed to the descriptive realm, which observes, describes, and explains actions without prescribing them.

What are some of the key questions in the history of ethics?

Key questions in the history of ethics include what makes actions moral or immoral, what is good or bad, right or wrong, and why one should behave in accordance with an ethical theory or do what morality prescribes.

What is meta-ethics and why is it significant?

Meta-ethics is a branch of ethics that deals with the nature of ethical statements and the act of prescribing how one should act. It is significant because it addresses whether morality is objective and whether moral judgments can be true or false in an objective sense.

What is moral subjectivism and how does it differ from moral realism?

Moral subjectivism is the position that moral judgments are expressions of preference or personal opinion, with no objective truth value. Moral realism, in contrast, holds that moral judgments can be true or false based on objective features of the world.

What is Hume's law and its significance in ethics?

Hume's law, as discussed in the script, concerns whether one can derive a statement of what ought to be the case from what is the case. It suggests that it is not logically possible to derive normative statements (what ought to be) from descriptive statements (what is) about the world.

What is the difference between theological and deontological ethical theories?

Theological ethical theories, such as consequentialism, utilitarianism, and egoism, evaluate the morality of an act based on its consequences. Deontological theories, on the other hand, believe that the morality of an action is grounded by an authority independent of the consequences, such as duty or moral law.

What are some examples of theological ethical theories mentioned in the script?

Examples of theological ethical theories mentioned in the script include egoism, which identifies happiness or pleasure as the ultimate end; utilitarianism, which identifies the general good or welfare of humankind as the ultimate end; and Aristotelian ethics, which focuses on eudaimonia or well-being.

How do deontological theories differ from theological theories in terms of evaluating morality?

Deontological theories evaluate the morality of an action based on whether it adheres to a set of duties or moral laws, regardless of the consequences. Theological theories focus on the consequences of actions and their tendency to produce certain outcomes, such as pleasure, happiness, or general welfare.

What is the debate on the effectiveness of ethics in transforming individuals into virtuous beings?

The debate centers on whether ethics as a philosophical discipline can effectively guide individuals to live virtuous lives. Some philosophers, like Arthur Schopenhauer, are skeptical, arguing that virtue cannot be taught. Others, like Richard Taylor, see ethics as a means to pursue a deliberate and thoughtful life, aiming for worthwhile goals.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Ethics and Moral Philosophy

This paragraph introduces the concept of ethics as a philosophical discipline, emphasizing its practical nature and focus on determining how one should live and act. It begins with a quote from Albert Camus, suggesting the importance of ethics in human society. The paragraph discusses the origins of ethics in ancient Greece with Socrates and the Sophists, and defines ethics more precisely through John Day's definition, which focuses on the study of good and bad ends in life and right and wrong actions. It also distinguishes between morality and ethics, with morality being the standards of conduct determined by reason. The paragraph further explores the normative nature of ethics versus the descriptive nature of other disciplines like anthropology. It concludes by touching on the central questions of ethics, including the objectivity of morality and the 'is-ought' problem introduced by David Hume.

05:00

🤔 The 'Is-Ought' Problem and Theological vs. Deontological Ethics

This paragraph delves into the 'is-ought' problem, a philosophical dilemma concerning the derivation of normative statements from descriptive ones, as highlighted by David Hume. It explains that Hume argued one cannot logically derive 'ought' statements from 'is' statements, using the example of wealth disparity to illustrate the point. The paragraph then contrasts two major types of ethical theories: theological (or consequentialist) and deontological. Theological theories, such as egoism, utilitarianism, and hedonism, judge the morality of actions based on their consequences and the resulting pleasure or happiness. Deontological theories, on the other hand, assert that the morality of an action is not dependent on its consequences but on adherence to certain duties or rules. The paragraph also mentions that while deontological theories often invoke a divine authority, not all do so, reflecting a broader philosophical consideration of ethics.

10:01

🔮 The Effectiveness of Ethics in Shaping Human Behavior

The final paragraph questions the practical effectiveness of ethics in transforming individuals into virtuous beings. It cites the skepticism of philosophers like Emmanuel Kant and Arthur Schopenhauer, who doubt that ethical theories can significantly influence actions. Kant acknowledges the gap between ethical speculation and practical application, while Schopenhauer is more cynical, suggesting that virtue, like genius, cannot be taught. However, the paragraph concludes with a hopeful note from Richard Taylor, who views ethics as a means to pursue a life of meaningful goals, contrasting a wasted life with one lived deliberately and thoughtfully. Taylor emphasizes the importance of the question of what is good, suggesting that ethics can guide us towards a life worth living.

Keywords

💡Ethics

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. In the video, ethics is the central theme, exploring what constitutes good and bad ends in life and what actions are considered right or wrong. The script discusses ethics as a practical discipline aimed at guiding how one should live and act.

💡Moral philosophers

Moral philosophers are thinkers who specialize in the study of ethics, examining questions of morality and prescribing how individuals ought to act. The script mentions Socrates and the sophists as early moral philosophers, emphasizing their role in the development of Western ethical thought.

💡Morality

Morality refers to the differentiation between behaviors, actions, or character according to a set of principles or a standard of right and wrong. The script defines morality as standards of right and wise conduct, determined by reason rather than custom, and central to the discourse of ethical philosophy.

💡Meta-ethics

Meta-ethics is a subfield of ethics that explores the nature of ethical language, statements, and judgments. The script delves into meta-ethics when discussing the objectivity of morality and whether moral judgments can be true or false independently of personal opinions.

💡Moral subjectivism

Moral subjectivism is the philosophical position that moral judgments are subjective and based on personal opinions or attitudes. The script contrasts this with moral realism, noting that subjectivists believe there is no rational way to decide between conflicting moral judgments.

💡Moral realism

Moral realism is the view that there are objective moral truths that exist independently of human sentiments or opinions. The script describes moral realists as those who believe moral judgments can be true or false based on objective features of the world.

💡Is-ought problem

The is-ought problem, attributed to David Hume, questions whether one can derive normative conclusions ('ought' statements) from descriptive premises ('is' statements). The script uses this problem to illustrate the challenge of moving from statements about the world as it is to statements about how it should be.

💡Consequentialism

Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges the morality of an action based on its consequences. The script mentions utilitarianism as an example, where the ultimate end is identified as the general good or welfare of humankind, and actions are moral if they promote this end.

💡Deontological ethics

Deontological ethics is a theory that asserts the morality of an action is not based on its consequences but on adherence to certain rules or duties. The script contrasts this with consequentialism, noting that deontological theories often use a god or divine law as the authority grounding morality.

💡Theological ethics

Theological ethics refers to ethical theories that derive moral principles from religious beliefs or divine command. The script discusses how egoism, utilitarianism, and other theories identify happiness or the general good as the ultimate end, influenced by theological perspectives.

💡Ethical effectiveness

Ethical effectiveness pertains to the practical impact of ethical theories and principles on transforming individuals into virtuous beings. The script ends with a debate on this topic, presenting views that question whether ethics can truly influence actions and those that hold a more optimistic outlook on its potential.

Highlights

Albert Camus' assertion that a man without ethics is akin to a wild beast.

Introduction to ethics, exploring the discipline's subject matter and key questions.

Definition of ethics as a study of life's good and bad ends and right and wrong actions.

Ethics as a practical discipline aimed at determining how one ought to live.

Differentiation between ethics as normative and anthropology as descriptive.

Prominence of questions on what makes actions moral and why one should follow ethical theories.

Meta-ethics as the branch of ethics dealing with the nature of ethical statements.

The debate on the objectivity of morality and the truth value of moral judgments.

Moral subjectivism positing moral judgments as expressions of preference or opinion.

Moral realism arguing for the objectivity of moral judgments based on the world's features.

Hume's Law and the 'is-ought' problem regarding deriving 'ought' from 'is'.

Theological ethical theories focusing on the consequences of actions for moral evaluation.

Deontological theories emphasizing morality grounded by authority independent of consequences.

Theological theories including egoism, utilitarianism, and their focus on ultimate ends.

Deontological theories' reliance on duty and often a divine authority for moral grounding.

Questioning the effectiveness of ethics in transforming individuals into virtuous beings.

Philosophers' skepticism on the practical implementation of ethical theories.

Richard Taylor's optimistic view of ethics as a guide to a meaningful life pursuit.

The importance of ethics in determining the value of life's goals and actions.

Transcripts

the 20th century existentialist

philosopher Albert kamu stated that a

man without ethics is a wild beast

loosed Upon This

World in this lecture we are going to

provide an introduction to ethics to do

so we will examine the subject matter of

the discipline discuss some of the most

important questions addressed by moral

philosophers distinguish between moral

subjectivism and moral realism examine

the famous is a problem and look at the

difference between theological and

deontological theories of

ethics as a philosophical discipline

ethics originated in ancient Greece over

2,000 years ago Socrates and a group of

teachers from ancient Athens known as

the sophus are said to be the first

morals philosophers in western

civilization ethics is often defined as

the study of morality but a more

detailed and revealing definition is

provided by John Day in his book

introduction to ethics ethics is a study

of what are good and bad ends to pursue

in life and what it is right and wrong

to do in the conduct of life it is

therefore above all a practical

discipline its primary aim is to

determine how one ought to live and what

actions one ought to do in the conduct

of one's life it will also be useful to

Define morality given how often the term

is used in ethical discourse day defines

morality in the sense used in

philosophical ethics as standards of

right and wise conduct whose authority

and practical thought is determined by

reason rather than

custom because moral philosophers

attempt to determine how one ought to

act in the course of their life or in

other words with prescribing action

ethics is said to be concerned with the

normative

realm in contrast a discipline such as

anthropology is said to be descriptive

rather than normative anthropologists

observe describe and explain the actions

and behaviors of individuals they do not

like moral philosophers attempt to

prescribe action in addition to the

ultimate question of how one ought to

live their life a few other questions

which have being particularly prominent

in the history of Ethics

include what makes actions moral or in

other words good or bad right or wrong

and why should one behave in accordance

with an ethical Theory or in other words

why should one do what morality

prescribes as a quick side note

questions which deal with the nature of

ethical statements and with prescribing

how one should act are said to belong to

the branch of Ethics known as meta

ethics an important question within meta

ethics is whether morality is objective

what philosophers are trying to

determine when addressing the

objectivity of morality is whether moral

judgments have a truth value or more

simply whether they can be said to be

true or false in a manner which is

independent of personal opinions and

attitudes for example when one makes a

statement such as the Earth is bigger

than the moon or 2 + 2 equal 5 one can

determine whether these statements are

true or false in an impersonal objective

sense however the question of interest

when attempting to determine the

objectivity of morality is whether the

same can be done with moral judgments

such as it is wrong to steal or one

ought to tell the

truth those who deny that moral

judgments can be true or false in the

sense we just specified adhere to the

position called moral moral or ethical

subjectivism such a position maintains

that moral judgments are expressions of

preference or personal opinion and

therefore there is no rational way for

deciding between two conflicting

judgments those who believe on the other

hand that moral judgments can be true or

false and are made so by objective

features of the world are called moral

realists or moral

objectivists closely related to the

question of whether morality is

objective is the is a problem this

problem was famously examined by the

Scottish philosopher David Hume and his

exposition of it forms the basis of what

is called hume's law basically the is a

problem concerns whether one can derive

a statement of what ought to be the case

from what is the case or in other words

from descriptive statements about the

world as David Hume

wrote in every system of morality which

I have hither to met with I have always

remarked that the author proceeds for

some time in the ordinary ways of

reasoning

and establishes the being of a God or

makes observations concerning human

Affairs when all of a sudden I am

surprised to find that instead of the

usual culations of propositions is and

is not I meet with no proposition that

is not connected with an ought or an

ought not for as this ought or ought not

expresses some new relation or

affirmation is necessary that it should

be observed and explained and at the

same time that a reason should be given

for what seems all together

inconceivable how this new relation can

be a deduction from others which are

entirely different from

it philosophers commonly interpret Hume

stance as being that you cannot

logically derive a statement of what

ought to be the case from what is the

case so let us say that we observe it to

be the case that in certain areas of the

world there exists a great disparity of

wealth this would be a descriptive

statement about the way the world is

however from the statement of how the

world is according to Hume we cannot

derive a statement about how things

ought to be so from the descriptive

statement about wealth inequality we

cannot derive the normative statement

that we ought to equalize wealth through

redistribution nor the normative

statement that we ought to abstain from

redistributing

wealth another important distinction

within ethics which is especially

pertinent to the question of what makes

an action good or bad is that between

theological and deontological ethical

theories Robert almader in his work

human happiness and morality a brief

introduction to ethics nicely

distinguishes between the two by saying

the first kind of theory asserts that

the morality or the immorality of an act

and hence the rightness or wrongness of

an act is a function solely of the

consequences of the Act and the natural

tendency of those consequences to

produce pleasure or pain or goodness or

happiness in some degree and in some way

any such Theory we call a

consequentialist or a teic theory the

second kind of theory asserts that the

morality or the immorality of an act has

basically nothing to do with the

consequences of the ACT this latter kind

of theory we call

deontological with a teic theory of

Ethics an end is selected as the

ultimate or highest good in life and

actions are then evaluated as moral or

immoral depending on whether they help

or hinder one in achieving that

end theological theories of ethics

include egoism which identifies the

ultimate end as happiness or pleasure

Udonis which identifies the ultimate end

as well-being and utilitarianism which

identifies the ultimate end as the

general good or welfare of humankind

Plato Aristotle and epicurus whose

ethical theories are some of the oldest

we have record of all put forth

teologico view of ethics differs from

theological view in that actions are not

evaluated as moral or immoral based

solely on their consequences rather

those who Advocate deontological

theories believe that the morality of an

action is grounded by some form of

authority independent of the

consequences that such actions generate

accordingly on deontological accounts

people must obey the actions prescribed

by morality not because of the

consequences that will follow from such

actions but rather because they are Duty

bound to do so often deontological

theories have used a god as the

authority which grounds morality and the

judaic and Christian conceptions of

Divine Law are believed to be the

original inspiration for deontological

ethics however it should be noted that

not all deontological theories of ethics

make use of a supernatural

being to conclude this lecture we must

play Devil's Advocate and question

whether ethics is effective that is can

ethics as a philosophical discipline

striving to understand how one ought to

live be effective at trans transforming

depra wrd individuals into virtuous and

good human

beings there have been numerous

philosophers throughout history who have

been skeptical that it can Emmanuel Kant

for example understood that within the

discipline of Ethics there is a vast

Gulf which exists between theoretical

speculation and practical implementation

he wrote the point is not always to

speculate but also ultimately to think

about applying our knowledge today

however he who lives in Conformity with

what he teaches is taken for a

dreamer Arthur schopenhauer was even

more cynical regarding the possibility

of Ethics influencing one's actions

writing virtue cannot be taught no more

than genius we would thus be just as

foolish to expect that our moral systems

and ethics might awaken The Virtuous

Noble and saintly as that our Aesthetics

might awaken poets sculptors and

musicians however this view is not

shared by all and to finish the lecture

we will provide a quote by Richard

Taylor from his book good and evil who

saw ethics in a more optimistic light

the question what is good is certainly

the most important question you can ask

for it comes to this each of us has One

Life to Live and that life can be as it

commonly is wasted in the pursuit of

specious goals things that turn out to

be worthless the moment they are

possessed or it can be made a deliberate

and thoughtful art wherein what was

sought and let us hope in some measure

gained was something all the while worth

striving for or we can put it this way

there will come a day for each of us to

die and on that day if we have failed we

shall have failed irrevocably