Religious Studies 1022A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Crisis Management, Hermeneutics, World View
1 Oct 2018
School
Department
Professor
Defining Greek word ethnikos
How shall we live? What is good?
•
Goodness = function, use
•
What is the function of a human being? I.e., What does a human being do?
What is a person used for?
•
Function of humans = ability to use reason
•
Humans as rational creatures
•
Goodness/virtue = exercise of reason
•
Perplexing Issues – Ethics
phusis (Greek) – nature
•
nomos (Greek) – convention
•
Natural law vs. conventional law
•
Role of philosophy – state and rationally defend what morally should be
•
Two concerns of ethos or ‘ethics’:
Individual character – what does it mean to be a ‘good person’
○
Social rules governing human conduct, esp. rules of right and wrong
(morality)
○
•
So, how do we define ‘ethics’? How do we use this term?
•
Defining Ethics
How Do We Use the Term?
Modern Social Context—the Individual and a Dualistic Public-Private
Society
○
•
Ethics is not …
Private
○
List of do’s and don’ts
○
Crisis management
○
•
Working Definition
Ethics is a:
systematic reflection upon1.
individual, community, institutional, and social 2.
morality, values, and character. 3.
•
Ethics and Morality
What Does it Mean to Be Moral?
“Ethics may be defined as philosophical inquiry into the nature and
grounds of morality. The term ‘morality’ is here used as a general name
for moral judgments, standards and rules of conduct. These include not
only the actual judgments, standards and rules to be found in the moral
codes of existing societies, but also what may be called ideal judgments,
standards and rules: those which can be justified on rational grounds. …
Morality has to do with right and wrong conduct and also with good and
bad character. … A moral norm may be either a rule of conduct or a
standard of evaluation. That is, it may be a requirement that anyone in
certain circumstances should do, or refrain from doing, a certain kind of
action. Or the norm may be a standard of evaluation, which we implicitly
refer to whenever we decide whether something is good or bad, desirable
or undesirable, worthy or worthless.” (Paul W. Taylor, Principles of Ethics:
An Introduction, 1-2)
○
•
Morality is the complex system of principles based on cultural, religious, and
philosophical concepts and beliefs by which an individual determines that their
actions are right and wrong
•
Ethics is the study of morality•
What Does it Mean to Be Moral?
From Latin “mos” and Used to Translate Greek Word “ethos”—“custom”
ethos (Greek) – character
○
moralis (Latin) – customs, manners
○
mos (Latin) – translation of Greek ethos – custom, character
○
•
Task of Ethics
Charles Kammer's Six Factors of 'Moralscape'
Factors in Doing Ethics
Anthropology – How we define the human person, what it means to be ‘human'
Who are we as human beings? Why are we here? How do we define
‘person’
○
E.g., Where do human beings come from? Did God create humans or
evolution? Are humans innately social or solitary? If created by God and
made in God’s image, what does this say about humanity?
○
E.g., When is a person a person? When does life being? What are the
rights and responsibilities of a person? How does this affect our thinking
about marriage and children?
○
•
Worldview -Weltanschauung ("look onto the world"), world outlook
Framework we use to make sense of the world – a reference point for
how we understand the world around us
○
Variety of lenses coming together – e.g., economics, politics, science,
religion, culture, personal experience, beliefs, family of origin, etc.
○
E.g., If I believe my religion’s teaching that marriage is a sacred union of
husband and wife, how does that affect my perspective on same sex
marriage? If I have a good friend who is homosexual and has fallen
deeply in love with their partner and wants to marry them, how does this
affect my perspective on same sex marriage?
○
•
Loyalties -Our embodied existence, our faithful allegiance to …
Based on relationships as well as shared values or history
○
E.g., One’s affinity to a particular cultural group based on your heritage,
affinity to a political party because you are a member, affinity to your
school because you are alumni, affinity to a belief system because you
belong to/practice that faith, affinity to friends/social group/generation
because of shared experiences
○
Often connected to worldview
○
E.g., Loyalties may conflict in these situations: My family has taught me
that stealing is wrong, but my peers are encouraging me to steal an iPod I
want; my friends believe divorce is okay, but my family believes marriage
is forever and divorce is always wrong.
○
•
Values and Norms
Values – refers to the goods that we desire, that for which we care or
aspire to
E.g., justice, respect for life, honesty,etc
§
○
Norms – rules, guidelines used to inform our behaviors. They help us
determine how to embody our values in our lives and relationships; life
rules
E.g., The Golden Rule, ‘Thou shalt not kill’, ‘always tell the truth’
§
○
•
Prejudices -To “pre” “judge”
The formation of a judgment without direct or actual experience
○
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk (SB BGT)
○
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41IS2OKqq1w (Opera duo, BGT)
○
•
Ethical Decision-Making
Mode of Decision Making - How you justify what you believe you ought to do
Teleological:
the ‘ends justify the means’ – the result determines whether or not
the rule was correct
§
The ethics of consequence
§
telos = ‘end’ (Greek)
§
See also Utilitarian approach to ethics (which is a sub-category)
§
○
Deontological:
Rules or process determines the result – it is the right thing to do
because of a sense of duty or moral obligation
§
Begins with the conviction ethics is about doing what is right, about
doing your duty.
§
deon = ‘duty’ (Greek)
§
○
Utilitarian –it is the right thing to do because it produces the greatest
overall amount of good in the world, provides the greatest happiness for
the greatest number; ethics of common good
○
•
Two Views of Ethics
Teleological Ethic
Result determines the rule
○
Result is the basis of the act
○
Rule is good because of result
○
Result sometimes used to break rules
○
•
Deontological Ethic
Rule determines the result
○
Rules is the basis of the act
○
Rule is good regardless of the result
○
Result always calculated within the rules
○
•
Sources for Making Ethical Decisions
How we make ethical decisions – how we systematically reflect on questions
and issues – is impacted by four factors:
Text
○
Tradition
○
Reason
○
Experience
○
•
These are the four aspects of the hermeneutical circle•
Hermeneutical circle:
process of systematic reflection and interpretation – note interconnection
between factors impacting our interpretation of ethical questions and the
questions themselves
○
Therefore, cannot understand the whole without its component parts;
cannot understand components without the whole
○
Hermeneutics – art and theory of interpretation, especially of texts
○
Greek hermeneuein = ‘to interpret’, ‘to explain’, ‘to make clear’
○
Related to Greek god Hermes whose role was to interpret the messages
of the gods for humans
○
•
Text
Written word – document or collection of documents a group considers
authoritative (canon)
○
•
Tradition
traditio = ‘to hand down’ or ‘to hand over’
○
Custom or practice passed down/taught from one generation to another,
often orally
○
Doctrines and teachings that have developed over time and passed down
from generation to generation
○
•
Reason
Latin ratio, French raison = reason
○
Intellectual framework - the ability of human mind to form and operate
on concepts in abstraction, in varied accordance with rationality and logic
○
Distinctly human
○
Recall, this is distinction made by ancient Greeks, especially in considering
ethical questions and the usefulness or goodness of humans
○
“To behave rationally is to make use of one’s intelligence to figure out the
best thing to do in the circumstances.” Reason affords “the optimal
chance of success in realizing one’s appropriate end.” (Nicholas Rescher)
○
•
What is 'ethics'?
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
2:02 PM
Defining Greek word ethnikos
How shall we live? What is good?•
Goodness = function, use •
What is the function of a human being? I.e., What does a human being do?
What is a person used for?
•
Function of humans = ability to use reason•
Humans as rational creatures•
Goodness/virtue = exercise of reason•
Perplexing Issues – Ethics
phusis (Greek) – nature•
nomos (Greek) – convention•
Natural law vs. conventional law•
Role of philosophy – state and rationally defend what morally should be•
Two concerns of ethos or ‘ethics’:
Individual character – what does it mean to be a ‘good person’
○
Social rules governing human conduct, esp. rules of right and wrong
(morality)
○
•
So, how do we define ‘ethics’? How do we use this term?•
Defining Ethics
How Do We Use the Term?
Modern Social Context—the Individual and a Dualistic Public-Private
Society
○
•
Ethics is not …
Private
○
List of do’s and don’ts
○
Crisis management
○
•
Working Definition
Ethics is a:
systematic reflection upon
1.
individual, community, institutional, and social
2.
morality, values, and character.
3.
•
Ethics and Morality
What Does it Mean to Be Moral?
“Ethics may be defined as philosophical inquiry into the nature and
grounds of morality. The term ‘morality’ is here used as a general name
for moral judgments, standards and rules of conduct. These include not
only the actual judgments, standards and rules to be found in the moral
codes of existing societies, but also what may be called ideal judgments,
standards and rules: those which can be justified on rational grounds. …
Morality has to do with right and wrong conduct and also with good and
bad character. … A moral norm may be either a rule of conduct or a
standard of evaluation. That is, it may be a requirement that anyone in
certain circumstances should do, or refrain from doing, a certain kind of
action. Or the norm may be a standard of evaluation, which we implicitly
refer to whenever we decide whether something is good or bad, desirable
or undesirable, worthy or worthless.” (Paul W. Taylor, Principles of Ethics:
An Introduction, 1-2)
○
•
Morality is the complex system of principles based on cultural, religious, and
philosophical concepts and beliefs by which an individual determines that their
actions are right and wrong
•
Ethics is the study of morality
•
What Does it Mean to Be Moral?
From Latin “mos” and Used to Translate Greek Word “ethos”—“custom”
ethos (Greek) – character
○
moralis (Latin) – customs, manners
○
mos (Latin) – translation of Greek ethos – custom, character
○
•
Task of Ethics
Charles Kammer's Six Factors of 'Moralscape'
Factors in Doing Ethics
Anthropology – How we define the human person, what it means to be ‘human'
Who are we as human beings? Why are we here? How do we define
‘person’
○
E.g., Where do human beings come from? Did God create humans or
evolution? Are humans innately social or solitary? If created by God and
made in God’s image, what does this say about humanity?
○
E.g., When is a person a person? When does life being? What are the
rights and responsibilities of a person? How does this affect our thinking
about marriage and children?
○
•
Worldview -Weltanschauung ("look onto the world"), world outlook
Framework we use to make sense of the world – a reference point for
how we understand the world around us
○
Variety of lenses coming together – e.g., economics, politics, science,
religion, culture, personal experience, beliefs, family of origin, etc.
○
E.g., If I believe my religion’s teaching that marriage is a sacred union of
husband and wife, how does that affect my perspective on same sex
marriage? If I have a good friend who is homosexual and has fallen
deeply in love with their partner and wants to marry them, how does this
affect my perspective on same sex marriage?
○
•
Loyalties -Our embodied existence, our faithful allegiance to …
Based on relationships as well as shared values or history
○
E.g., One’s affinity to a particular cultural group based on your heritage,
affinity to a political party because you are a member, affinity to your
school because you are alumni, affinity to a belief system because you
belong to/practice that faith, affinity to friends/social group/generation
because of shared experiences
○
Often connected to worldview
○
E.g., Loyalties may conflict in these situations: My family has taught me
that stealing is wrong, but my peers are encouraging me to steal an iPod I
want; my friends believe divorce is okay, but my family believes marriage
is forever and divorce is always wrong.
○
•
Values and Norms
Values – refers to the goods that we desire, that for which we care or
aspire to
E.g., justice, respect for life, honesty,etc
§
○
Norms – rules, guidelines used to inform our behaviors. They help us
determine how to embody our values in our lives and relationships; life
rules
E.g., The Golden Rule, ‘Thou shalt not kill’, ‘always tell the truth’
§
○
•
Prejudices -To “pre” “judge”
The formation of a judgment without direct or actual experience
○
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk (SB BGT)
○
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41IS2OKqq1w (Opera duo, BGT)
○
•
Ethical Decision-Making
Mode of Decision Making - How you justify what you believe you ought to do
Teleological:
the ‘ends justify the means’ – the result determines whether or not
the rule was correct
§
The ethics of consequence
§
telos = ‘end’ (Greek)
§
See also Utilitarian approach to ethics (which is a sub-category)
§
○
Deontological:
Rules or process determines the result – it is the right thing to do
because of a sense of duty or moral obligation
§
Begins with the conviction ethics is about doing what is right, about
doing your duty.
§
deon = ‘duty’ (Greek)
§
○
Utilitarian –it is the right thing to do because it produces the greatest
overall amount of good in the world, provides the greatest happiness for
the greatest number; ethics of common good
○
•
Two Views of Ethics
Teleological Ethic
Result determines the rule
○
Result is the basis of the act
○
Rule is good because of result
○
Result sometimes used to break rules
○
•
Deontological Ethic
Rule determines the result
○
Rules is the basis of the act
○
Rule is good regardless of the result
○
Result always calculated within the rules
○
•
Sources for Making Ethical Decisions
How we make ethical decisions – how we systematically reflect on questions
and issues – is impacted by four factors:
Text
○
Tradition
○
Reason
○
Experience
○
•
These are the four aspects of the hermeneutical circle•
Hermeneutical circle:
process of systematic reflection and interpretation – note interconnection
between factors impacting our interpretation of ethical questions and the
questions themselves
○
Therefore, cannot understand the whole without its component parts;
cannot understand components without the whole
○
Hermeneutics – art and theory of interpretation, especially of texts
○
Greek hermeneuein = ‘to interpret’, ‘to explain’, ‘to make clear’
○
Related to Greek god Hermes whose role was to interpret the messages
of the gods for humans
○
•
Text
Written word – document or collection of documents a group considers
authoritative (canon)
○
•
Tradition
traditio = ‘to hand down’ or ‘to hand over’
○
Custom or practice passed down/taught from one generation to another,
often orally
○
Doctrines and teachings that have developed over time and passed down
from generation to generation
○
•
Reason
Latin ratio, French raison = reason
○
Intellectual framework - the ability of human mind to form and operate
on concepts in abstraction, in varied accordance with rationality and logic
○
Distinctly human
○
Recall, this is distinction made by ancient Greeks, especially in considering
ethical questions and the usefulness or goodness of humans
○
“To behave rationally is to make use of one’s intelligence to figure out the
best thing to do in the circumstances.” Reason affords “the optimal
chance of success in realizing one’s appropriate end.” (Nicholas Rescher)
○
•
What is 'ethics'?
Tuesday, March 20, 2018 2:02 PM
Document Summary
Function of humans = ability to use reason. Perplexing issues ethics phusis (greek) nature nomos (greek) convention. Role of philosophy state and rationally defend what morally should be. Individual character what does it mean to be a good person". Social rules governing human conduct, esp. rules of right and wrong (morality) Modern social context the individual and a dualistic public-private. 3. systematic reflection upon individual, community, institutional, and social morality, values, and character. Ethics may be defined as philosophical inquiry into the nature and grounds of morality. The term morality" is here used as a general name for moral judgments, standards and rules of conduct. These include not only the actual judgments, standards and rules to be found in the moral codes of existing societies, but also what may be called ideal judgments, standards and rules: those which can be justified on rational grounds. Morality has to do with right and wrong conduct and also with good and bad character.
