PHIL 296 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Moral Agency, Moral Character, Deontological Ethics
2 Jul 2016
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7/2/16
Against Animal Rights
Critical Perspective
-Utilitarianism: The rightness or wrongness of actions is determined by the good of
their consequences and we ought to perform those actions that will bring about the
most good i.e. we should maximize the good to produce ‘the greatest amount of good
for the greatest number’. Character/reasons for action do not matter.
-Deontology: What makes an action right is its conformity with a moral law or princi-
ple i.e. the deontologist focuses on the nature of the act and not its consequences.
•The ‘right’ (moral norm/law/principle) is said to have priority over the ‘good’ (desir-
able consequences e.g. happiness, preference satisfaction). If an act is not in ac-
cord with the right, it may not be undertaken, regardless of the good that it might
produce.
•Not concerned with character, but is concerned with one’s reasons for acting.
-Virtue Ethics: The right action is that which would be chosen by the virtuous agent.
•A virtuous person is someone who has morally good character traits e.g. honesty,
generosity, loyalty, kindness, mercy etc. etc.
•A virtuous character is one that disposes us to feel desires and emotions 'well'
rather than 'badly'.
•Virtues help us live well - We should look to develop virtuous characters so that we
can lead flourishing human lives.
•Moral knowledge acquired through experience not by following rules
•Moral character is key, as are motivations.
-Animals and the Moral Community
•Scruton’s account of personhood is tied very close to moral agency:
-Persons are capable of rational dialogue - “able to give and receive reasons for
action and to recognize the distinction between good and bad reasons, between
valid and invalid arguments, between justifications and mere excuses” (p. 26).
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
If an act is not in ac- cord with the right, it may not be undertaken, regardless of the good that it might produce: not concerned with character, but is concerned with one"s reasons for acting. Animals and the moral community: scruton"s account of personhood is tied very close to moral agency: Persons are capable of rational dialogue - able to give and receive reasons for action and to recognize the distinction between good and bad reasons, between valid and invalid arguments, between justifications and mere excuses (p. 26). Persons must be able to freely make choices, to act intentionally in pursuit of their goals and to take responsibility for the outcome. Persons are capable of giving and recognizing consent and be prepared to com- promise their own desires and preferences in order to obtain it from others. Persons recognize, understand, and accept that as members of the moral com- munity they have obligations to others.
