Ethical Principles: “Good” vs. “Right”

Current Issues – LHS

Ethical Principles

What makes an act “right”?

What makes an act “good”?

What should be prioritized when making ethical decisions?

Beneficence

• People should prioritize “doing good” in ethical decision making

• Similar to concept of utility– One should attempt to generate the largest

ratio of good over evil possible

“Least Harm”• Similar to beneficence, but deals w/ situations where

neither choice is beneficial– People should do the least harm possible to the fewest people

• Do people have a greater responsibility to “do no harm” than to take steps to benefit others?– Ex – walk past someone vs. punching someone you walk by for

no reason

Respect for Autonomy• People should reign over themselves

and make decisions that apply to their lives– They are the only ones who understand

their chosen lifestyle– They understand their own emotions,

beliefs, etc. and are best positioned to act in accordance with them

• What about autonomy for dependents?– Paternalistic view

• A dependent person’s best interests should win out over their own wishes (But what if the decision maker’s ideals clash with the dependent’s ideals?)

• Example – physician with terminal patient, convincing family to continue treatment despite pain to patient

– Libertarian view• A dependent’s wishes should prevail

over their best interests• Maximizes individual autonomy

Justice• Fairness should be prioritized in ethical decision making• Example: cops are required to obey speed limit, but they

are allowed to speed in unique situations– Reach scene of crime quickly– Pursuit of criminal suspect

“Do the Good Thing”

• Utilitarianism best exemplifies the beneficent / “least harm” philosophy– Maximizing “utility”, or good outcomes, for the

most people– OR minimizing harm to the least number of

people

“Do the Right Thing”

• Deontology (literally “The Study of Duty”) best exemplifies “doing right”

• Denies that the morally right action is determined by consequences

• The most common philosophy of this school of thought is that of the Prussian, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

Kant’s Ethical System• He believed that people

were governed by perfect and imperfect duty– Perfect duty = morally

required actions to perform at all times (“Categorical Imperative”)• Examples: don’t give

incorrect change; not lying; don’t commit suicide; don’t make false promises

– Imperfect duty = morally required actions that are followed sometimes• Examples: give to charity;

develop own talents

Kant’s Ethical System: Moral Worth of People

Things We Do

Mere behavior(involuntary)

Voluntary Actions(what we choose to do)

Actions contraryTo Duty (impermissible)

Actions not contraryTo Duty (permissible)

Actions not requiredBy Duty (allowed to do)

Actions required by Duties (our Duties)

Actions done merelyIn accordance w/ Duty(do not convey moral worth)

Actions Done fromDuty (convey moral worth)

Categorical Imperative (CI)• What is it?

– A command that applies to everyone and is impossible to opt out of

– Kant says morality must be based on CI b/c morality commands us to act in a certain way; to act contrary is immoral, by definition

Categorical Imperative

• “Act only in such a way through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law (of nature)”– You are not allowed to do anything yourself

that you would not be willing to allow everyone else to do, as well (no exceptions for yourself!)• Ex – if others should keep their promises, you too

must keep your promises

Categorical Imperative Applied• If you want to lie to get something you wanted, you

would have to be willing to make it the case that everyone always lies to get what they want.

• If this were to happen, no one would ever believe you, the lie would not work and you wouldn’t get what you wanted.

• Therefore, if you willed that lying should become a universal law, then you would thwart your goal

• Thus, it is impermissible to lie, according to CI, because the only way to lie is to make an exception for yourself

Kant’s Idea of Moral Worth• Kant believed that a person is

good or bad depending on the motivation of their actions (NOT the consequences!)– Motivation = what caused you to

do the action (reasoning)– One can be a good person – be

moral – only if one is motivated by their duty

• If actions are motivated by something other than duty (emotions, etc.) then that action does not have moral worth

Kant’s Idea of Moral Worth• Why do motivations

matter?– Why else do people do

things? • Emotions• Selfish reasons

• Kant argued that moral worth only comes when you do something b/c you know it is your duty – you do it regardless of whether you like it!