Morality lecture

7/30/2019 Morality lecture

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Wednesday, November 28, 12


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What about

MORALITY?The place and roleofREASON

in Morality



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What about

MORALITY?The place and roleofREASON

in Morality

Isitmorally

ACCEPTABLE

orWRONG?



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For each item in Part A: Compare the percentageof those who consider it ACCEPTABLE with those

who consider it WRONG.1. Over which behaviors/practices does our classgenerally agree in terms of their morality/immorality?

2. Which behaviors/practices does the classconsider controversiali.e., there are almost equalnumber of students claiming rightness andwrongness?

3. Compare the class results with the surveyresults conducted by Gallup on Americanrespondents in 2010. What similarities/diferences

do you note?Wednesday, November 28, 12


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AcceptableORWrong ACC WRON DIFF Dont Know

GAMBLING 55 33 22 12

POLYGAMY 17 73 56 10

ABORTION31 48

17 21HAVINGABABYOUTSIDE 37 53 16 10

HOMOSEXUALRELATIONSHIP 58 30 28 12

SUICIDE 20 73 53 7

PREMARITALSEX65 30 35 5

CLONINGANIMALS 81 9 72 10

DIVORCE 57 33 24 10

DEATHPENALTY 34 56 22 10

ADULTERY 2 95 93 3

DOCTOR-ASSISTEDSUICIDE 39 52 13 8

ANIMALFUR 72 19 53 9

HUMANCLONING 43 48 5 9

MEDICALTESTINGONANIMALS 67 16 51 16

STEMCELLSFROMHUMAN 80 18 62 2Wednesday, November 28, 12


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What about

MORALITY?

Isitmorally

ACCEPTABLE

orWRONG?



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What do you think of your morality?



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Clearly Acceptable Clearly Wrong Controversy

Homosexual Relationship Polygamy Gambling

Premarital SexHaving a Baby

outside MarriageAbortion

Cloning Animals Suicide Doctor-AssistedSuicide

Divorce Death Penalty Human Cloning

Animal Fur Adultery

Medical Testing - Animals

Human Stem Cells

What do you think of your morality?



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For Part B: For most of your answers, which of thefollowing has tended to be the PRIMARY basis for

classifying an action as acceptable or wrong?

4% Parents12% Religion

2% School or teachers0% State or government0% Peers or Friends2% Media80% Personal Preferences

What do you think of the classs top answer? How

does it compare with your own?Wednesday, November 28, 12


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What about

MORALITY?



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What about

MORALITY?The place and role

ofREASON

in Morality

Isitmorally

ACCEPTABLE

orWRONG?



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AUTHORITY



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AUTHORITY

DIRECT EVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT



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AUTHORITY


OPINION



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AUTHORITY


OPINION

Our OPINION should be based on evaluation of DIRECTEVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT and AUTHORITY



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AUTHORITY


OPINION

Our OPINION should be based on evaluation of DIRECTEVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT and AUTHORITY



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t i


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controversies

arema


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controversies



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Its not as SIMPLE as that! FOUR COMPLICATIONS...

MORALITY: Choice between GOODandBAD



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Complication #1: SHADES OF GRAY



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RIGHT NEUTRAL

Acts can be RIGHT, NEUTRAL, or WRONG.


ForbiddenDuty



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RIGHT NEUTRAL

A WRONG ACT is an action--or inaction--thatviolates an accepted norm and generally causes someharm to ones self, to others, or to society in general.



Basis for Decision: Authority (parents,

religion, state, school), Opinion, or Reason

ForbiddenDuty



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RIGHT NEUTRAL




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RIGHT NEUTRAL

Not all acts can be readily classified aswrong. Some are contested. Examples ofacts that are not clearly wrong...




Complication #1:


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Complication #1:

SHADES OF GRAY


Complication #1:


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Complication #1:

SHADES OF GRAYReason cannot always determine with 100%

certainty whether some acts are acceptable orwrong.When we are unsure of the wrongness of an act,what would be the safer assumption?


Complication #1:


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The road of CAUTION

Complication #1:

SHADES OF GRAYReason cannot always determine with 100%

certainty whether some acts are acceptable orwrong.When we are unsure of the wrongness of an act,what would be the safer assumption?

When unsure of

whether or notan act is wrong,rr on the side of caution.

Assume it is wrong.

WHY?Wednesday, November 28, 12


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Complication #2: Application of


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Complication #2: Application ofMoral Principles



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Phronesis




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Practical Wisdom: One can learn theprinciples of action, but applying them in the real

world, in particular situations one could not have

foreseen, requires experience of the world.

Phronesis



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Phronesis



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Phronesis

Moralissuesandques.onsareambiguousandcomplex

Solu.onsandanswersareo8ennotself-

evidentorobvious



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The two extremes of

moral reasoning:

ABSOLUTIST RELATIVISTConsider onlyGENERALPRINCIPLES,

but notPARTICULARSITUATION

No considerationofGENERALPRINCIPLES.

OnlyPARTICULAR

SITUATION



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The two extremes ofmoral reasoning:

ABSOLUTIST RELATIVISTConsider onlyGENERALPRINCIPLES,

but notPARTICULARSITUATION

No considerationofGENERALPRINCIPLES.

OnlyPARTICULAR

SITUATION

EVALUATIVIST

Consider BOTH

GENERAL SITUATIONand

PARTICULARSITUATION



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Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD


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RIGHT NEUTRAL

Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.

SINFUL





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RIGHT NEUTRAL


SINFUL if and only if:Grave Matter: Serious harm

&/OR Adequate Knowledge&/OR Adequate Freedom

SINFUL





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NEUTRAL




SINFUL





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SINFUL





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SINFUL

Serious harm has been caused.

The actor knew that the act was wrong and harmful.

The actor could freely choose todo or not to do the action, andwas not influenced by coercionor fear.





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GRAVE SINif & only if:

ALL OF THE ABOVE

SINFUL







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RIGHT NEUTRAL


SINFUL

p / /




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RIGHT NEUTRAL




SINFUL




p / /




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RIGHT NEUTRAL




GRAVE SINif & only if:

ALL OF THE ABOVE

SINFUL




p / /



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RIGHT NEUTRAL



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RIGHT NEUTRAL

MORAL DECISION vs. SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT

If and only if:1) RIGHT vs. WRONG2) WRONG vs. WRONG

(The Lesser of 2 Evils)

SINFUL



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RIGHT NEUTRAL

MORAL DECISION vs. SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT

If and only if:1) RIGHT vs. WRONG2) WRONG vs. WRONG

(The Lesser of 2 Evils)

If & only if:

1) RIGHT vs. RIGHT2) NEUTRAL vs. RIGHT

(The Greater Good)

SINFUL


Complication #4: Two Principles


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The POTHOLES of MoralityWednesday, November 28, 12


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The road of SUSPICION


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The road of SUSPICIONWhenever your decision

involves pleasure or avoidspain, cast some suspicion onyour motive.

You may be biased for thisdecision because it is moreconvenient or less painful

rather than because it is rightand not wrong.




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The road of SUSPICIONWhenever your decision

involves pleasure or avoidspain, cast some suspicion onyour motive.

You may be biased for thisdecision because it is moreconvenient or less painful

rather than because it is rightand not wrong.

AGERE CONTRA: To act against our inclination

(to pursue pleasure and to avoid pain)Wednesday, November 28, 12


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The road of SUSPICIONWhenever your decisioninvolves pleasure or avoidspain, cast some suspicion onyour motive.


Two simple guidelines


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The road of CAUTIONWhen unsure of whetheror not an act is wrong,

err on the side of caution.Assume it is wrong.

Whenever your decisioninvolves pleasure or avoidspain, cast some suspicion onyour motive.

Twosimpleguidelines...



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Conscience is what we use inmaking moral decisions.

Follow an informedconscience when making amoral decision.

Primacy of Conscience




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The conscience carefully considers:1) the concrete circumstances ofthe moral situation,

2) the important values that need

to be protected,3) the relevant moral teachings & normsinvolved,

4) the good and bad efects

of every moral option.



We need guidance from Authority & Reason


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e eed gu da ce o ut o ty & easo

Route #1: Learn the WHAT

The Rules: The Dos & DontsWhat the Authorities Say

Adequate for simpler issues andsimpler people.

Suitable for complex issues & more educated people.

Route #2: Learn the WHY & HOWMoral ReasoningWhy the Authorities Say What They Say

How You Assess Their Claim (Conscience)



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ASSENT DISSENT

BLIND

REASONED


FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES


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ASSENT DISSENT

BLIND

REASONED




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ASSENT DISSENT

BLIND

REASONED

BlindAssent




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ASSENT DISSENT

BLIND

REASONED

BlindAssent

BlindDissent




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ASSENT DISSENT

BLIND

REASONED

BlindAssent

BlindDissent

Reasoned

Assent




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ASSENT DISSENT

BLIND

REASONED

BlindAssent

BlindDissent

Reasoned

AssentReasoned

Dissent




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ASSENT DISSENT

BLIND

REASONED

BlindAssent

BlindDissent

Reasoned

AssentReasoned

Dissent

Which are acceptable responses?




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ASSENT DISSENT

BLIND

REASONED

BlindAssent

BlindDissent

Reasoned

AssentReasoned

Dissent

Which are acceptable responses?

Morality lecture

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