Ethical Systems

1. Ethical Systems Huck Finn

2. Ethics • Definition: The process of determining right and wrong

3. Where do you stand? • Is it wrong to take extra napkins from a fast-food restaurant? • If you find $100 on the ground, what should you do with the money? • Do animals have rights?

4. Situation Ethics • Right and wrong depend on the situation • Each case is unique. There aren’t any universal moral rules • What is the loving thing to do in any given situation is the right thing to do • Weaknesses?

5. Cultural Relativism • Rules are set according to what your culture decides • If your culture eats horses, then it is morally acceptable for you to eat horses too • In what ways is cultural relativism demonstrated in the book Huck Finn?

6. Virtue Ethics • Morals are internal • Good people will do good things • Who operates under this ethical system?

7. Utilitarianism • Actions are judged right or wrong solely by their consequences • Right actions produce the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people • Each person’s happiness is equally important

8. Where Does Huck Fit? • Situation Ethics- whatever seems best at the time • Cultural Relativism- whatever society wants • Virtue Ethics- morality is internal/good people will do good things • Utilitarianism- actions are right or wrong based on their consequences