Ethics and Ethical Reasoning Metaethics (the meaning of moral language)

Ethics is Normative Normative (derivative of the word normal) seeks to make judgments about rightness. Life is too short Normative judgments differ from descriptive or scientific judgments. Life is short.

Terms “Right”/”wrong” “Good”/”Evil” Refer to actions or deeds Do the right thing “Good”/”Evil” Refer to concepts, people (nouns) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

“Euthyphro” – Plato (399 BC) Ancient Greek: Εὐθύφρων From "Euthuphron": right-minded or sincere Euthyphro, a prosecutor, meets Socrates outside the courthouse where Euthyphro is going to try his father for murder. Socrates wants to Euthyphro to be sure he is doing the right thing by inquiring into what the right or pious is.

“Euthyphro” – Plato (399 BC) Socrates wants a definition of piety that will be universally true. 1# Euth. Piety, then, is that which is dear to the gods, and impiety is that which is not dear to them. But, the gods disagree among themselves as to what is 'pleasing'. This would mean that a particular action, disputed by the gods, would be both pious and impious at the same time — a logically impossibility

“Euthyphro” – Plato (399 BC) #2 What all the gods love is pious, and what they all hate is impious. Socrates points out that this is a dilemma: “Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious? Or is it pious because it is loved by the gods?” But being carried is not an essential characteristic of the thing carried; being carried is a state. Likewise with piety, if defined as "what is liked by the gods"; it is liked for some reason, not just because it is liked, so that one likes it, by itself, does not make an action pious

“Euthyphro” – Plato (399 BC) #2 (Continued) Piety comes before the liking both temporally and logically, yet in Euthyphro's definition it is exactly the other way around. Therefore Euthyphro's third definition is severely flawed. “Thus you appear to me, Euthyphro, when I ask you what is the essence of holiness, to offer an attribute only, and not the essence-the attribute of being loved by all the gods. But you still refuse to explain to me the nature of holiness.”

Ethical Relativism Suggests there is no absolute right or wrong action because there is no knowable good or evil. No objective good. Cultural relativism claims that there are rights and wrongs within cultural boundaries not outside Multiculturalism Sharia and foreign law in Canadian courts?

Ethical Relativism Subjectivism (personal/individual ethical relativism) Radically asserts that there are no rights or wrongs in any society only between an individual and herself Ethics is a matter of personal biography

Plato Vs. Relativism Socrates: ” So you believe that each man’s opinion is as good as anyone else’s.” Protagoras: “That’s correct.” Socrates: “How do you make a living?” Protagoras: “I am a teacher” Socrates: “I find this very puzzling. You admit you earn money teaching, but I cannot imagine what you could possibly teach anyone. After all, you admit that each person’s opinion is as good as anyone else’s. This means that what your students believe is as good as anything you could possibly teach them. Once they learn that each person is the measure of all things, what possible reason would they have to pay you for any further lessons? How can you possibly teach them anything once they learn that their opinions are as true as yours?”

Ethical Relativism Skepticism “[I]s the view that it is difficult, if not impossible, to know something.” Objectivism Claims there are some general goods, but they may vary according to the context. Absolutism (extreme objectivism) The view that there are moral principles that admit of no exception. Individual, cultural, situational differences do not matter.

Ethical Relativism Moral Pluralism Suggests that there are many moral goods of equal value, i.e., justice, equality, freedom, etc. Competing goods lead to chaos? US electoral gridlock ½ population sees freedom (from taxes, gov’t) as the highest good ½ populations sees equality as the highest good

From Beyond Good and Evil – F. W. Nietzsche Anthropology of morality. Many cultures appear to have this master/slave dynamic. In European society is plays out as the heritage of old heroic (polytheistic) values and submission (monotheistic) guilt.

From Beyond Good and Evil – F. W. Nietzsche Slave (Christian) Morality As defined by the weaker are humility, charity , meekness, sacrifice, distrustful, patience, obedience. Psychologically sick Consumed by resentment, guilt, fear (of the body), disgust with the world "The democratic movement is the heir to Christianity.”

From Beyond Good and Evil – F. W. Nietzsche Master (Teutonic) Moralities As defined by the masters, these goods include strength, honour, glory, power, nobility, heroism Creates value, has power over himself, altruism through pride (not guilt). Oneself is the measure of all things. Psychologically robust, loves life! Amor fati

The Master– F. W. Nietzsche The Gay Science, which reads: I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful. Amor fati: let that be my love henceforth! I do not want to wage war against what is ugly. I do not want to accuse; I do not even want to accuse those who accuse. Looking away shall be my only negation. And all in all and on the whole: some day I wish to be only a Yes-sayer. Quotation from "Why I Am So Clever" in Ecce Homo, section 10:[2] My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it—all idealism is mendaciousness in the face of what is necessary—but love it.