EAS 203 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Jeremy Bentham, Habituation, Categorical Imperative
7 Jun 2018
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UNIT 1 READINGS
Jan 16 Readings
Essay ideas/questions:
- Western moral philosophy
- What is good?
- What is the goal of human activity? On what ethics?
- Analytical Essay Prompt:
o Discuss the works of these moral philosophers by identifying both their strengths
and weaknesses.
§ What is persuasive about each theory?
§ What is a counterargument to the theory?
§ Do you find one or more rather compelling?
§ Cite specific pages from the texts.
o Then, present your own argument on moral philosophy. You may want to
consider the following questions:
§ Do you think an ethical framework should have subjective, intuitive,
objective, and/or rational components?
§ Should an ethical framework be more concerned with the individual and
his/her motivations for actions or with a larger societal perspective? Why
or why not?
§ Should actions be judged based on their adherence to a set of principles or
on their consequences?
§ Reference the moral philosophers in your argument
Fleddermann Ch. 3 pg 37-49
- Utilitarianism
o Produce most utility, balance between good/bad consequences of an action, taking
into account the consequences for everyone affected
o Maximize well-being of society as a whole
o Balance needs of society with needs of individual
o John Stuart Mill (act utilitarianism)
o Cost-benefit analysis
- Duty Ethics
o There are duties that should be performed regardless of whether these acts lead to
the most good
o Immanuel Kant
- Rights Ethics
o We all have moral rights, and any action that violates these rights is ethically
unacceptable
o John Locke- right to life, liberty, and property
- Virtue Ethics
o Regards actions as right if they manifest good character traits (virtues) and
regards actions as bad if they display bad character traits (vices).. the type of
person we should strive to be
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics pg 3-36.. this is kinda elitist.. also asks a lot of questions then
answers them with logic
- What does Aristotle mean by happiness and virtue?
o Happiness is the highest good.. things that are good = things that make us happy
- Book 1 Ch. 1
o it happens that, for many, good things have harmful consequences (pg 4)
o everything has an end product, many skills/actions/stuff aim to produce good (1st
sentence)
o actions combine to form bigger ones that lead to bigger end products
- Book 1 Ch. 2
o “knowledge of the good” aka the ultimate good/end that everything leads to
o “even if the good is the same for an individual as for a city, that of the city is
obviously a greater and more complete thing to obtain and preserve. For while the
good of an individual is a desirable thing, what is good for a people or for cities is
a nobler and more godlike thing
- Book 1 Ch. 3
o “we are discussing things like these in such a way, to demonstrate the truth
sketchily and in outline, and, because we are making generalizations
o it is a mark of an educated 25 person to look in each area for only that degree of
accuracy that the nature of the subject permits.
o Basically, how we should understand this text, don’t be that guy who has no
experience?
- Book 1 Ch. 4
o End goal of everything is happiness
o Stuff about good thinkers
- Book 1 Ch. 5
o 3 types of ppl/happiness:
§ Masses see happiness as pleasure
§ life of politics so some sophisticated people see it as honor, want to be
honored by others, seek virtue. But some people have virtue even when
their life sucks, which isn’t happiness
§ life of contemplation (next ch.)
- Book 1 Ch. 6 (???)
o “For one might love both, but it is nevertheless a sacred duty to prefer the truth to
one's friends”
o Things good in themselves
o things good for the sake of things good in themselves.
o What defines something as good?
- Book 1 Ch. 7
o Choosing for themselves means that you want it for no other reason other than
having it.. like happiness: “Happiness in particular is believed to be complete
without qualification, since we always choose it for itself and never for the sake
of anything else.”
o “Honour, pleasure, intellect, and every virtue” we choose so we can get happiness
from it
o humans supposed to live well (like how a lyre player is supposed to play the lyre
well)
- Book 1 Ch. 8
Document Summary
Analytical essay prompt: discuss the works of these moral philosophers by identifying both their strengths and weaknesses. Cite specific pages from the texts: then, present your own argument on moral philosophy. You may want to consider the following questions: Reference the moral philosophers in your argument. Duty ethics: there are duties that should be performed regardless of whether these acts lead to the most good, immanuel kant. Rights ethics: we all have moral rights, and any action that violates these rights is ethically unacceptable, john locke- right to life, liberty, and property. Virtue ethics: regards actions as right if they manifest good character traits (virtues) and regards actions as bad if they display bad character traits (vices) the type of person we should strive to be. Aristotle, nicomachean ethics pg 3-36 this is kinda elitist also asks a lot of questions then answers them with logic.
