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Decoding Morality: Understanding the Ethical Dilemma of Self-Interest

Why should one be moral when it may not align with personal interests? Explore rational, religious, and social perspectives on morality, including Divine Command Theory and Social Contract Theory, to unravel the complexities of ethical decision-making.

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Decoding Morality: Understanding the Ethical Dilemma of Self-Interest

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  1. Why Should I Be Moral? The Ring of Gyges This question is not about what is moral (an issue of “normative” ethics) but about why I should do what I acknowledge is moral when it is not in my self-interest to do so (a “metaethical issue).

  2. Answers to “Why Be Moral?” • Rational: my justification for acting morally is precisely because I see it as moral • Objection: why be rational? • Religious: God links sanctions (punishments and rewards) to immoral/moral behavior • Objection: not persuasive to non-believers • Social: adherence to moral rules promotes the rational self-interest of everyone • Objection: not persuasive to free riders

  3. Divine Command Theory The good is whatever God commands (as identified in the Scriptures) because it is God’s command Objections: • What God wills can be arbitrary • Scriptures conflict and need interpretation • If God’s will is not arbitrary, then moral principles are justified non-religiously

  4. Social Contract Theory • Following moral rules is the best way for us to promote our rational self-interests • To discourage free riders, we need to make it difficult to get away with breaking rules • Objection: this does not explain why everyone has an obligation to be moral

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