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PHIL 2525 Contemporary Moral Issues Lec 3. What are We Talking About? What is Morality? Rachels Chapter 1. Singular Moral Judgments vs. Moral Principles. The Death of Socrates Jacques-Louis David. General moral principle…or not?. Hurting a friend is wrong.
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PHIL 2525Contemporary Moral IssuesLec 3 What are We Talking About? What is Morality? Rachels Chapter 1
General moral principle…or not? • Hurting a friend is wrong. • The Bible says that thou shalt not kill. • Shoplifting might get you into trouble. • Stealing is ok. • Helping others helps ourselves. • Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. • Honour thy father and thy mother.
General moral principle…or not? • Hurting a friend is wrong. • The Bible says that thou shalt not kill. • Shoplifting might get you into trouble. • Stealing is ok. • Helping others helps ourselves. • Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. • Honour thy father and thy mother. • Yes • No • No • Yes • No • Yes • Yes
So, back to our arguments... • Premise 1 states the case (the way the world is) • Premise 2 appends a moral principle ------------------------------------------ • The conclusion follows from the interplay
Moral arguments are arguments with a moral judgment as the conclusion • We describe the case: the way the world is • We append a moral principle ------------------------------------------ • We conclude based on the interplay
1.1 The Problem of Definition • “Moral philosophy is the attempt to achieve a systematic understanding of the nature of morality and what it requires of us… • Socrates: We are discussing no small matter, but how we ought to live
1.2 Baby Theresa dilemma... • Parental request: allow her organs to be harvested to benefit other newborns. • Legal resolution: "Florida law does not allow the removal of organs until the donor is dead."
Moral arguments are arguments with a moral judgment as the conclusion The parents: • Transplanting Baby Theresa’s organs would benefit other children without harming her. • If we can benefit someone, without harming anyone else, we ought to do so. -------------------------------------- • Therefore, we ought to transplant the organs.
Moral arguments are arguments with a moral judgment as the conclusion Anonymous ethicists: • Transplanting Baby Theresa’s organs would be using her as means for another’s ends. • It is wrong to use people as means. -------------------------------------- • Therefore, we ought not transplant the organs.
Moral arguments are arguments with a moral judgment as the conclusion One more argument: • Taking Baby Theresa's organs would be killing her to save another. • It is wrong to kill one person to save another. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ • Therefore, we ought not to take her organs for transplantation.
On the Baby Theresa dilemma... Dr. Norman Fost, director of the University of Wisconsin's medical ethics program: • “The problem is almost entirely one of a slippery slope...” • “We have to be careful who we take organs from, because there are a lot more than anencephalic infants out there.”
On the Baby Theresa dilemma... Dr. John Fletcher, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Biomedical Ethics: • “There's a refusal to accept the reality of death at work in this... • “...and an overvitalistic understanding of personhood, one dependent on biological functions."
On the Baby Theresa dilemma... Dr. John Fletcher, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Biomedical Ethics: • “...what makes us human is what goes on upstairs in the brain, not downstairs in the brain.”
1.3 Conjoined Twins • Siamese Twins • Chang and Eng • Born in 1811 • Travelled with the circus • Married two sisters • Fathered 21 children • Died in 1874
Jodie and Mary • Pro-separation: • Separating the twins will save the one; otherwise both will die. • When it's a choice between saving one of two people or letting both die, we should save the one. ---------------------------------------------------------- • :. The twins should be separated.
Jodie and Mary • Anti-separation: • Mary is an innocent human being and the separation will kill her. • It's wrong to kill an innocent human being. ------------------------------------------- • :. The twins shouldn't be separated.
Mercy or Murder? • 12 year old Tracy Latimer, killed by her father in 1993 • Quadriplegic and severely mentally disabled, she functioned at the level of a three-month old and was in constant pain…
1.4 The Latimer Case • Argument against Latimer’s action: • Killing Tracy was discrimination against the handicapped. • It is wrong to discriminate against the handicapped. -------------------------------------- • :. Tracy's father did wrong: he shouldn't have killed her.
1.4 The Latimer Case • Rachels’ response: • Discrimination against the handicapped? • It’s discrimination only if there is no good reason for the different treatment....
1.4 The Latimer Case • Euthanizing Tracy was "opening the doors to other people to decide who should live and who should die." • It is wrong to do things which would open the doors... • ------------------------------------------------------ • :. Euthanizing Tracy was wrong and shouldn't have been done.
1.5 Reason and Impartiality • Moral judgments must be backed by good reasons. • Morality requires the impartial consideration of each individual’s interests.
1.5 Reason and Impartiality • We describe the case: the way the world is • We append a moral principle ------------------------------------------ • We conclude based on the interplay
The morally right thing to do... • is always whatever there are the best reasons for doing...
Jane Addams,founder of Hull House • The essence of immorality is the tendency to make an exception of myself.
1.6 The Minimum Conception of Morality • The effort to guide one’s conduct by reason...to do what there are the best reasons for doing... James Rachels
Suicide and Euthanasia • What is the difference? • What good reasons are there in favour? • What good reasons are there against? http://exitinternational.net/
Ethics in the news: • Globe and Mail Sept. 28, 2011 • Ontario's 'Baby Joseph' dies at home after sparking fierce end-of-life ethical debate
Attendance Question • Your name • Your year in school • Your major • Where do you want to be in 10 years?
