What is Ethics?

EthicsA look at the reasons behind decisions about what is right and wrong.

What is the right thing to do?

2 Types of Moral TheoriesTeleological Theories: Moral judgments based on the effects of an act. You decide whether an act is good or bad by looking at its consequences. Also called Utilitarianism and Consequentialist Moral Reasoning.

Deontological Theories: Disagrees that consequences are important. Instead there are certain acts that are right or wrong no matter what the consequences are. Also called Categorical Moral Reasoning.

Decide whether these statements are teleological or deontological or could be both.1. Drinking and driving is wrong. You only

have to look at the deaths it causes to see that.

2. “I knew studying was the right thing to do—I’ve passed all my exams!”

3. I could never go to war because I think it is wrong to kill.

4. Always tell the truth5. “Always obey your superiors.”6. When I am older I must not take sweets

from strangers. (said by a small child)

Moral DilemmasIn groups of 3-4 people, decide:1. What you would do and why2. What the deontological decision would be3. What the teleological decision would be

Quick Check- On a separate piece of paper…1. In your own words, differentiate between

teleological moral/ethical reasoning and deontological moral/ethical reasoning.

2. State which type of reasoning you lean towards.

UtilitarianismUtilitarianism states that an action is right if

it produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

2 Main PhilosophersJeremy BenthamJohn Stuart Mill

BenthamThe idea that we ought to produce the

greatest happiness for the greatest number is called ‘ The Principle of Utility or The Greatest Happiness Principle’.

For Utilitarianism an action is right if it produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

Happiness for utilitarianism is pleasure and the absence of pain.

There are 3 bigger ideas which underlie The Greatest Happiness Principle/Utility Principle:

1. Consequentialism:Consequentialism is deciding whether an

action is good or bad by looking at the consequences of that action.

If the consequences of the action are good then the action is a good one.

If the consequences of the action are bad then the action is a bad one.

2. HedonismHedonism is the idea that pleasure is the only

inherently good thing and that pain is the only inherently bad thing.

Acts which bring about pleasure are good acts. Acts which bring pain are bad acts.People should seek pleasure and avoid pain.

3. EqualityFor Utilitarians, the pleasure and pain of

everyone is equally important. Every person counts for one and only one.

Prison guards exampleBabies vs. adults

John Stuart MillMill’s higher and lower pleasuresMill’s Utilitarianism is different to Bentham’s because Mill

says it is not just quantity of pleasure which matters – quality matters too. Mill believed that some pleasures counted for more than others.

Mill is trying to solve the problem of having to allow what most people would see as unacceptable pleasures - the kinds of pleasures the sadistic guards were experiencing.

For example, Mill could now say that the pleasure of torturing someone has a much lower value than the pain felt by the victim, so it would not fit in with Utilitarianism to allow the guards to torture the man.

Which pleasures are ‘higher’ and which ones are ‘lower’?‘Higher’ - Intellectual pleasures such as

reading, debating, learning‘Lower’ – Physical pleasures such as

eating, drinking and sex.

How does Mill justify this distinction?Both animals and humans experience

physical pleasures but the pleasures of the intellect are what make us different to animals.

People who have experienced both sorts of pleasures prefer the intellectual ones.

How do we decide exactly, which are Higher/ Lower Pleasures?These are people who have tried both types

of pleasure. If they keep opting for a certain type of pleasure then it must be a higher pleasure.

John Stuart Mill “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. ”

Revisit the “Do Now”Go back to the “Do Now” and re-categorize

those pleasures according to Mill’s theory, not your own.

-You may work together