PHIL 335 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Speech-Language Pathology, Deontological Ethics, Moral Agency
3 Jun 2018
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Unit 2
1. What is the difference between an empirical statement and a normative statement?
Provide an example of each.
There is one main difference between empirical statements and normative statements. Empirical
statements are based on facts while normative statements are based on judgements or opinions.
Normative statements are subjective while empirical statements are objective. Abortion should
be prohibited in Canada is an example of a normative statement. Earth is the third planet from
the sun is an example of an empirical statement.
2. Summarize, in your own words, the most important features of each of the moral theories
we have studied in this unit.
Utilitarianism: The principle of utility focuses on the consequences of an action, rather
than on any features of the actions themselves. Consequences alone are important, and
thus nothing is wrong in itself. A right act is that act that produces the best aggregate
consequences for all those affected by that given act.
AU: An act is right if and only if there is no other action I could have done which either
(a) would have produced a greater balance of utility over disutility; or (b) would have
produced a smaller balance of disutility over utility
RU: If it is the case that not everyone could do what one particular person is proposing to
do without dire consequences, then perhaps it would be wrong for anyone to do it
Kant’s Deontological Ethics: A deontological ethical theory evaluates the moral
rightness or wrongness of actions in terms of whether or not a given act is performed for
the sake of moral duty, claims that there are certain actions that it is always our moral
duty to either perform or refrain from performing, regardless of the consequences
Three categories: actions required by duty, action forbidden by duty, actions consistent
with duty therefore permissible
Aristotelian Virtue Ethics: Aristotle requires us to look at virtues, or qualities of
character. Aristotle’s emphasis is more on character traits than on rules or obligations.
“Moral agency is not merely a matter of which rules to follow; it flows from a whole way
of life which requires a unity of thought and feeling characteristic of what Aristotle called
‘virtue’”
Ethical theory of this is goal oriented, before figuring out what kind of human we want to
be we must first figure out what we ultimately want from life
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