bus ethics- chap 10- social contracts & fatalism

8/8/2019 Bus Ethics- Chap 10- Social Contracts & Fatalism

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Cavico & Mujtaba, 2005

Business Ethics: Transcending

Requirements through Moral

Leadership

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Chapter 10 Social Contract and Fatalism


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CHAPTER 10 - OVERALL AGENDA

A. Introduction

B. History of Social Contract

C. Social Contract & MoralityD. Rousseaus General Will as the Standard

E. Problems With Rousseaus General Will

F. Fatalism, Free Will, and Determinism

G. Summary

H. Conclusion


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History of Social Contract

The Social Contract constitutes the means to the

existence of society and morality.

Rousseau argues that the historical reality is thatthe Social Contract does not exist.

Those who live by it werent around to make it

and agree to it.

Therefore the Social Contract is an impliedcontract that serves to validate morality.


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Rousseau & The State of Nature

What would existence be like if people livedwithout governments, laws, and rules?

Rousseau declares that people in such a NaturalState are characterized by sentiments ofcompassion rather than viciousness.

Although people dont know the ideas of goodnessin this society they are not naturally wicked.


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Why Do People Depart From The State

Of Nature? Rousseau argues that people depart from the

state of nature because they are social

creatures that need:A. To Live in Groups.

B. Interact with their Own Kind.

C. Live a Good human life.


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Social Contract & Morality

Social living produces moral and then legalstandards for the whole community.

Society cant exist without morality. The chance of the Good Life can only by

reached within society governed bymorality.

Morality can only be attained by the SocialContract of living in communities.


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General Will As Standard For

Morality The body politic is a legal and ethical entity possessed

of a will.

The purpose of the General Will is to preserve the

whole and achieve the common good.

Participating in the Social Contract and the General

Will, people share in the common good.

Subjection to the Social Contract and Common Goodcauses people to submerge their individual wills for

something greater.


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Problems With General Will

The General Will is non-determinable.

What does the Common Good and General Will consist

of?

People do not prefer the Common Good or General Will

over their own individual will.

The General Will exists only for philosophers.

If it did exist, it would be manipulated and exploited by a

minority if it was put to a vote democratically.


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Summary

Rousseaus Theory presumes people are

rational.

People can agree to a consensus of rules fortheir mutual benefit.

Agreements and rules agreed to by the

people would be followed by all people.


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Fatalism

Moral goodness is present when moral responsibility is present.

Free Will is a distinguishing feature of a moral person.

Freedom is an indispensable element for morality.

Science views people as actors whose behavior is caused byhereditary and environmental factors.

Are peoples actions predetermined or do they have freedom to

make choices?

If peoples actions are predetermined are they morallyresponsible? Should they be blamed for wrongdoings or praised

for goodness?


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Major Tenets of Fatalism

Natural events are fixed absolutely.

Human destiny is predetermined.


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Consequences of Fatalism

Consequences of Fatalism

No freedom anywhere.

Freedom is an impossibility.

There is only unbending necessity.

Views of Fatalism

Stoics claim there is nothing a person can do to change their fate.

Sophists believe people could shape their fate.

Machiavelli states the people can seize opportunities to master

ones fate.


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Criticism Of Fatalism

People have free will and their lives are not

predetermined.

Morality demands free will and anopportunity for choice.

Kant argues that humans stand alone among

the animals because they have free will andare capable of reason.


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Free Will

The Experience and feelings of freedom.

Morality presupposes free choice.

The dual nature of human beings:

A. Humans Reflect on Experiences.

B. Humans Have Laws and are Free.C. Beings Subject to Natural Laws.


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Determinism

Determinism holds that everything in the universe

is determined by causes.

That is for every event, there is a prior set ofcircumstances that occurred.

Nothing happens by chance. Everything that

occurs is the only thing that could have occurred

due to prior circumstances. What occurs must occur.


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Two Types of Determinism

Hard Determinism A persons heredity,

history, and environment cause a person to

act in a certain way.

Soft Determinism A persons will is free

in that it is uncaused.


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Summary

Human choices are neither fixed by fate nor by antecedent causes.

Hard Determinism supposes that human actions are fixed eternally,

regardless of what one does.

Human choices are not absolutely open and free will is not limitlessly free.

Actions are free only within certain bounds amid the possibilities

presented by certain sets of conditions.

People recognize they are influenced by outside factors other than their

own thoughts and beings.

Certain impacts can change ones character and cause them to ask Why?

Ones vital moral and intellectual interests demand a more liberal

philosophy and these interests should make the Fateful choice.


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Conclusion

There is not one theory that accurately defines ethics andmorals for a society. Rousseau assumes people are rationaland can agree to a set of rules for their mutual benefit. As

we know this is not always the case.

Humans have choices and there are many factors thatdetermine the selection of one choice over another.Choices are not predetermined nor are they absolutely

open ended with unlimited options.


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Reference

Cavico, F. & Mujtaba, B., (2005). Business Ethics: Transcending Requirements

through Moral Leadership. Pearson Custom Publications. U.S.A. ISBN: 0-

536-85783-0. Address: 75 Arlington Street, Suite 300. Boston Mass, 02116.

Phone: (800) 374-1200. Or: (800) 922-0579.

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