3 MAIN APPROACHES TO ETHICS
3 MAIN APPROACHES TO ETHICS
It includes the following:
1. Normative Ethics
2. Meta-ethics
3. Practical Ethics
1) Normative Ethics
Concerned with the substance of ethics and their application.
It is concerned with prescribing ways of behaving and the behaviors to avoid.
It examines the norms by which people make moral choices.
Involves questions about one’s duty (what one ought to do).
Questions the values that are expressed through moral choices. (what constitutes a “good life”)
It goes beyond merely descriptive ethics and looks at statements about behavior.
The Normative Theories
1. Virtue Theory
The idea that to be moral is to develop certain characteristics that help us achieve the moral
good, leading to happiness and flourishing.
2. Utilitarianism
claims that an action is good if it has positive or pleasurable consequences.
It claims that the foundation of moral principles should be the greatest happiness for the
greatest number of people.
3. Deontological Ethics
To be moral is to follow one’s duty and only have good intentions when we perform an action.
It argues that considering consequences could lead to immoral actions
Further Readings
At the beginning of the 20th century, philosophers started to question normative ethics and to some extent
saw moral standards as culturally determined. instead of asking what is moral, what makes an action moral, or
how should I be moral, they decided to think about the meaning of terms such as right, wrong, good, bad, etc…
this is often referred as the linguistic turn; they argued that the best way to understand morality was to try to
uncover what moral terms actually mean rather than thinking about how to act. Such an outlook on ethics
however was already present in the philosophy of David Hume.
2) Meta-ethics
A more abstract conceptual take on morality.
It investigates moral terms themselves and looks at what moral concepts mean.
Rather than assert moral standards.
The best way to understand morality was to try to uncover what moral terms actually mean rather than
thinking how to act.
Most of moral philosophy before the 20th century was essentially normative, that is it investigates the
kind of moral standards we should arrive at and rules that would allow us to regulate right and wrong
conduct.
2 Approaches to Meta-ethics
1. Moral Realism
Argues that moral truths and facts exist, which means that when we say the term “good” we
refer to a property that is objective and exists in the real world.
2. Moral Anti-realism
Argues that moral truths do not exist and that moral judgements are just based on individual
likes and dislikes.
Further Readings
Meta-ethics is probably the most challenging aspect of this course, but is also the starting point. We need
to understand clearly what is meant by key concepts such as “good” or “right” before looking at the moral
standards we could follow. there are two main approaches to meta-ethics: moral realism argues that moral
truths or facts exist, which mean that when we say the term “good” we refer to a property that is objective and
exists in the world. Moral anti-realism however, argues that moral truths do not exist and that moral judgments
are just based on individual likes and dislikes.
3) Practical Ethics
One of the aims of practical ethics is to solve moral dilemma, in a philosophical and systematic way.
This is the area that has the most relevance to our everyday life.
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Key Questions That Practical Ethics Deal With
1. Is abortion morally justifiable? At what stage of the fetus development should it be illegal? Are fetuses
persons and therefore have rights?
2. Is euthanasia morally acceptable? Is so, should we distinguish between assisted suicide whereby the
patient has made it clear that he/she wants to die, and non-voluntary euthanasia, whereby the patient
has not expressed wishes to die.
3. A third area of practical ethics investigates whether animals are part of our moral sphere; if they are not
moral agents, in so far as they cannot make moral decisions, are they moral patients, that means do we
have moral responsibilities towards them?
Further Readings
A third area of practical ethics investigates whether animals are part of our moral sphere; if they are not
moral agents, in so far as they cannot make moral decisions, are they moral patients, that means do we have
moral responsibilities towards them?
MORAL DILEMMAS
MORAL DILEMMAS
A situation where two or more moral values or duties make demands on the decision maker, who can
only honor one of them, and thus will violate at least one important moral concern no matter what the
decision is.
3 LEVELS OF MORAL DILEMMA
3 LEVELS OF MORAL DILEMMA
1) Individual Dilemma
It is also known as Personal Dilemma
It is a highly difficult situation for someone to handle.
Ex. Student’s Moral Dilemma
2) Organizational Dilemma
Involves businesses, both private and public sector, as well as the medical field.
Ex. Pharmaceutical Industry Case – Dr. X goes to the United States three times a year for free.
3) Structural Dilemma
Concerns are in the network of institutions, operations.
Ex. Universal Health Care, Expensive Medicines in The Philippines
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