What must we_do

What must we_do

1. IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 11M. TorresM. Torres
What MUST we do?What MUST we do?
Ethics: philosophical Ethics: philosophical
study of moral values. study of moral values.

2. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 22
Ethics: index.Ethics: index.
•Some basic questions.Some basic questions.
•Basic definitions.Basic definitions.
•History of ethical perspectives:History of ethical perspectives:
–Plato and Aristotle on virtue ethics.Plato and Aristotle on virtue ethics.
–Aquinas Christian version of virtue ethics: natural law and Aquinas Christian version of virtue ethics: natural law and
revelation.revelation.
–Kant’s categorical imperative.Kant’s categorical imperative.
–Utilitarianism and BenthamUtilitarianism and Bentham
–Existentialism and J.P. Sartre.Existentialism and J.P. Sartre.
•Conclusion: Conclusion:
–A philosophical and personal task, What is right and wrong?A philosophical and personal task, What is right and wrong?
–Human Rights: Minimal and universal ethics, a international and Human Rights: Minimal and universal ethics, a international and
personal compromise.personal compromise.

3. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 33
Morality vs. ethics: a philosophical distinction.Morality vs. ethics: a philosophical distinction.
•MoralityMorality is about personal values is about personal values
that guide our actions and that guide our actions and
decisions. Morality is generally decisions. Morality is generally
under the influence of the culture, under the influence of the culture,
society and religion. society and religion. Morality: first-Morality: first-
order set of beliefs and practices order set of beliefs and practices
about how to live a good lifeabout how to live a good life
•A A moral statementmoral statement (phrase) (phrase)
reflects my conception of what is reflects my conception of what is
good for me. A moral statement is good for me. A moral statement is
always from the particular point of always from the particular point of
view of my society or religion.view of my society or religion.
•EthicsEthics is the second-order, is the second-order,
reflective consideration of our reflective consideration of our
moral beliefs and practices. Ethics moral beliefs and practices. Ethics
is the explicit, philosophical is the explicit, philosophical
reflection on moral beliefs and reflection on moral beliefs and
practices.practices.
•Ethics is a conscious stepping Ethics is a conscious stepping
back and reflecting on morality, back and reflecting on morality,
just as musicology is a conscious just as musicology is a conscious
reflection on music. Ethics reflection on music. Ethics
includes taking into account not includes taking into account not
only my own values but the values only my own values but the values
of OTHERS inside my own of OTHERS inside my own
perspective.perspective.
•An An ethical statementethical statement must respect must respect
the morality and RIGHTS of those the morality and RIGHTS of those
that are around me. In general an that are around me. In general an
ethical statement includes the ethical statement includes the
respect of the Human Rights.respect of the Human Rights.
•Ethics: a second-order, conscious Ethics: a second-order, conscious
reflection on the adequacy of our reflection on the adequacy of our
moral beliefs.moral beliefs.

4. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 44
Some basic questions about ethics.Some basic questions about ethics.
•How do you know what to do?How do you know what to do?
•What do you think is right and wrong? Your opinion, What do you think is right and wrong? Your opinion,
where does come from?where does come from?
•When you do something, which values are you using? When you do something, which values are you using?
Are you aware of the values you follow when acting?Are you aware of the values you follow when acting?
•Are you free? Or do you follow what you were told by Are you free? Or do you follow what you were told by
mama, your teacher… ?mama, your teacher… ?
•When someone acts wrongly, is his or her intention When someone acts wrongly, is his or her intention
important or not?important or not?
•Are ethical and morality values guiding your life? Do they Are ethical and morality values guiding your life? Do they
give sense to your life? Are aware of those values? give sense to your life? Are aware of those values?

5. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 55
Basic definitions: ethics and morality.Basic definitions: ethics and morality.
•A A moralmoral is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a
story or event.story or event.
•MoralityMorality refers to the concept of human matters of right and wrong refers to the concept of human matters of right and wrong
—"good and evil" — used within three contexts: —"good and evil" — used within three contexts:
–systems of principles and judgments —moral values —shared within a systems of principles and judgments —moral values —shared within a
cultural, religious, secular or philosophical community; and cultural, religious, secular or philosophical community; and
–codes of behavior or conduct morality. codes of behavior or conduct morality.
–individual conscience; Personal morality defines and distinguishes individual conscience; Personal morality defines and distinguishes
among right and wrong intentions, motivations or actions, as these have among right and wrong intentions, motivations or actions, as these have
been learned, engendered, or otherwise developed within each been learned, engendered, or otherwise developed within each
individual.individual.
•EthicsEthics (from Greek ἠθικός (from Greek ἠθικός ēthikosēthikos, ἤθος , ἤθος ēthosēthos "custom, habit"), a "custom, habit"), a
major branch of philosophy, is the study of values and customs of a major branch of philosophy, is the study of values and customs of a
person or group. It covers the analysis and employment of concepts person or group. It covers the analysis and employment of concepts
such as right and wrong, good and evil, and responsibility. It is such as right and wrong, good and evil, and responsibility. It is
divided into three primary areas: divided into three primary areas:
–meta-ethicsmeta-ethics (the study of the concept of ethics), (the study of the concept of ethics),
–normative ethicsnormative ethics (the study of how to determine ethical values), and (the study of how to determine ethical values), and
–applied ethicsapplied ethics (the study of the use of ethical values). (the study of the use of ethical values).

6. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 66
Plato and Aristotle: “Be a good Plato and Aristotle: “Be a good
person” Virtue Ethicsperson” Virtue Ethics
..
Plato (428-347)Plato (428-347)
•““Good people do not Good people do not
need laws to tell them to need laws to tell them to
act responsibly, while bad act responsibly, while bad
people will find a way people will find a way
around the laws”. around the laws”.
•““If a man neglects If a man neglects
education, he walks lame education, he walks lame
to the end of his life”. to the end of his life”.
•““Knowledge becomes evil Knowledge becomes evil
if the aim be not virtuous”. if the aim be not virtuous”.
•““The most virtuous are The most virtuous are
those who content those who content
themselves with being themselves with being
virtuous without seeking virtuous without seeking
to appear so”. to appear so”.
Aristotle (384-322) Aristotle (384-322)
•““Happiness depends Happiness depends
upon ourselves” upon ourselves”
•““Dignity consists not in Dignity consists not in
possessing honors, but in possessing honors, but in
the consciousness that the consciousness that
we deserve them”.we deserve them”.
•““Men acquire a particular Men acquire a particular
quality by constantly quality by constantly
acting a particular way... acting a particular way...
you become just by you become just by
performing just actions, performing just actions,
temperate by performing temperate by performing
temperate actions, brave temperate actions, brave
by performing brave by performing brave
actions”. actions”.

7. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 77
Aquinas natural law and revelation.Aquinas natural law and revelation.
Do what the Bible tells youDo what the Bible tells you
•““Because of the diverse conditions of humans, it Because of the diverse conditions of humans, it
happens that some acts are virtuous to some happens that some acts are virtuous to some
people, as appropriate and suitable to them, people, as appropriate and suitable to them,
while the same acts are immoral for others, as while the same acts are immoral for others, as
inappropriate to them” . inappropriate to them” .
•““Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to
deliver to others contemplated truths than deliver to others contemplated truths than
merely to contemplate”. merely to contemplate”.
•““Human salvation demands the divine disclosure Human salvation demands the divine disclosure
of truths surpassing reason”. of truths surpassing reason”.
•““If, then, you are looking for the way by which If, then, you are looking for the way by which
you should go, take Christ, because He Himself you should go, take Christ, because He Himself
is the way”. is the way”.

8. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 88
Kant’s categorical imperative.Kant’s categorical imperative.
Do the right thing: The Ethics of Do the right thing: The Ethics of DutyDuty
•““A categorical imperative would be one which A categorical imperative would be one which
represented an action as objectively necessary in itself, represented an action as objectively necessary in itself,
without reference to any other purpose.”without reference to any other purpose.”
•““Always recognize that human individuals are ends, and Always recognize that human individuals are ends, and
do not use them as means to your end.”do not use them as means to your end.”
•““So act that your principle of action might safely be made So act that your principle of action might safely be made
a law for the whole world.”a law for the whole world.”
•““It is not necessary that whilst I live I live happily; but it is It is not necessary that whilst I live I live happily; but it is
necessary that so long as I live I should live honourably.”necessary that so long as I live I should live honourably.”

9. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 99
Bentham and utilitarianism. Bentham and utilitarianism.
Utilitarianism: Make the world a better place.Utilitarianism: Make the world a better place.
•““It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people
which is the measure of right and wrong”. which is the measure of right and wrong”.
•““It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without It is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without
understanding what is the interest of the individual”. understanding what is the interest of the individual”.
•““The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the
foundation of morals and legislation”. foundation of morals and legislation”.
•““Every law is an infraction of liberty”.Every law is an infraction of liberty”.

10. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 1010
Determinism Determinism
•Determinism is the view that an individual's Determinism is the view that an individual's
behavior is shaped or controlled by internal or behavior is shaped or controlled by internal or
external forces rather than an individual's will to external forces rather than an individual's will to
do something.do something.
•““Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are
dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free
will.” Jawaharlal Nehru quotes (Indian Prime will.” Jawaharlal Nehru quotes (Indian Prime
Minister; 1889-1964) Minister; 1889-1964)

11. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 1111
Existentialism and J.P. Sartre. Existentialism and J.P. Sartre.
•ExistentialismExistentialism is a philosophical movement in which is a philosophical movement in which
individual human beings are understood as having full individual human beings are understood as having full
responsibility for creating the meanings of their own responsibility for creating the meanings of their own
lives. lives.
•J.P. Sartre (1905 – 1980):J.P. Sartre (1905 – 1980):
–Sartre accepts the premise that something in the "Facticity" (i.e., Sartre accepts the premise that something in the "Facticity" (i.e.,
the properties of an object or person as traditionally conceived the properties of an object or person as traditionally conceived
and experienced) of an individual is valuable because the and experienced) of an individual is valuable because the
individual consciousness individual consciousness chooseschooses to value it. Sartre denies that to value it. Sartre denies that
there are any objective standards on which to base values. there are any objective standards on which to base values.
–The individual consciousness is responsible for all the choices it The individual consciousness is responsible for all the choices it
makes, regardless of the consequences. Condemned to be free makes, regardless of the consequences. Condemned to be free
because man's actions and choices are his and his alone, because man's actions and choices are his and his alone, he is he is
condemnedcondemned to be responsible for his free choices. to be responsible for his free choices.

12. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 1212
Ethics: a personal and Ethics: a personal and
philosophical task.philosophical task.
•After all these different ethical approaches: what After all these different ethical approaches: what
do you think: what it is right and wrong? From do you think: what it is right and wrong? From
where comes what you think is right and wrong? where comes what you think is right and wrong?
•In our days an ethical compromise is asked to In our days an ethical compromise is asked to
each citizen, you included:each citizen, you included:
–To vote in a democracyTo vote in a democracy
–To behave equally with any other human beingTo behave equally with any other human being
–To denounce any behavior against the laws and civil To denounce any behavior against the laws and civil
rights. rights.

13. M. TorresM. Torres
IES Campo San Alberto, D. IES Campo San Alberto, D.
Philosophy; 2008-2009Philosophy; 2008-2009 1313
Human rights: universal and minimal Human rights: universal and minimal
ethics.ethics.
•Human Rights: 1948 and UN.Human Rights: 1948 and UN.
–State and Nations compromise.State and Nations compromise.
–Personal day by day compromise.Personal day by day compromise.
–Universal ethical agreement.Universal ethical agreement.
–Minimal ethical agreement.Minimal ethical agreement.
–Intention, goal not medium.Intention, goal not medium.
–International agreement to educate human International agreement to educate human
beings within a ethical living.beings within a ethical living.