Ethical Relativism and Utilitarianism

7/27/2019 Ethical Relativism and Utilitarianism

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ETHICS

ethos - custom, habit,character or disposition

system of moral standardsof right and wrong that

prescribe what humansought to do, usually interms of rights,obligations, benefits to

society, fairness, or specificvirtues

Any view that maintainsthat the truth or falsity ofstatements of a certainclass depends on the

person making thestatement or upon hiscircumstances or society

RELATIVISM


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Philosophical view that what is right or wrong andgood or bad is not absolute but variable and relative,

depending on the person, circumstances, or socialsituation.

the prescriptive view that

(1) different groups of people ought to have differentethical standards for evaluating acts as right or wrong,

(2) these different beliefs are true in their respectivesocieties, and

(3) these different beliefs are not instances of a basicmoral principle


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1. The relativist confuses cultural (or sociological)relativism with ethical relativism

*cultural relativism is a descriptive view

*ethical relativism is a prescriptive view.

(E.g., cultural relativism describes the waypeople actually behave, and ethicalrelativism prescribes the way people ought to behave.

2. The ethical relativist often argues as follows:

An absolute ethical standard has never been provedbeyond doubt in the history of thought.Thus, anabsolute ethical standard does not exist.


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1. Different societies have different moral codes2. No objective standard that can be used to judge one

societal code better than the other3. The moral code of our own society has no special status;

it is merely one among many4. There is no "universal truth" in ethics; that is, there are

no moral truths that hold for all peoples at all times.5. The moral code of a society determines what is right

within that society; that is, if the moral code of a societysays that a certain action is right, then that action is right,at least within that society.

6. It is mere arrogance for us to try to judge the conduct ofother peoples. We should adopt an attitude of tolerancetoward the practices of other cultures


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Mary Midgley points out the necessity of moral judgment:

The power of moral judgment is not a luxury, not a perverse indulgence of theself-righteous. When we judge something to be good or bad, better or worse

than something else, we are taking it as an example to aim at or avoid. Withoutopinions of this sort, we would have no framework of comparison for our ownpolicy, no chance of profiting by other peoples insights or mistakes. In thisvacuum, we could form no judgments on our own actions.

To accept relativism is to accept a kind of paralysis in our ability to make ethicaljudgments.

Relativism can lead to ethical paralysis

If we accept relativism, then we seem paralyzed with regard to our obligations toothers. If we dont think we can justifiably make judgments about practices andbeliefs we find objectionable, then we have no impetus to work to change thosepractices and beliefs. If all ethical standards are equal, there are no grounds to

criticize practices which we find ethically wrongafter all, thats just theirway of doing things and we have ours.

But, if we reject relativism, that is, if we think that we can make ethical judgmentsabout the practices of other culturesand vice versathen it seems that we dohave some obligations towards others.


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Mankind has been placed by nature under thegovernance of 2 sovereign masters pain and pleasure

That which giver happiness or pleasure to most people isgood

That which bestows pain or misery is evil

Happiness can be computed according to him by felicificcalculus or hedonic calculus


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Criticized his teacher ,as according to himutilitarianism was refined

Higher pleasures are more valued bycompetent judges

than the lower pleasuresit is quite compatible with the principle of utility torecognize the fact that some kinds of pleasure aremore desirable and more valuable than others


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The Utilitarian were social reformers

They supported suffrage for women and those without

property, and the abolition of slavery. Utilitarian arguedthat criminals ought to be reformed and not merely

punished(although Mill did support capital punishment

as a deterrent).Bentham spoke out against cruelty to

animals. Mill was a strong supporter of meritocracy .

Its main principle is that one must act so as to promote the

greatest happiness or pleasure to the greatest number ofpersons.

Thus an act is good if contributes to the overall utility.


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The Greatest Happiness Principle

Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness,wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness

Happiness = pleasure, and the absence of painUnhappiness = pain, and the absence of pleasure

Happiness is the only thing that has intrinsic value

pleasure, and freedom from pain, are the only things desirable asends...all

desirable things are desirable either for the pleasure inherent inthemselves, oras means to the promotion of pleasure and the prevention of pain.


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WHEN THE STATE IS ENTITLED TO AUTHORITY?

UTILITARIAN- State is entitled if and only if it promotes more happinessfor the greatest number

Thomas Hobbes:Might argue the state needs a strong central government and a strict

implementation of laws

Jeremy Bentham:

Might disagree he believes that it will be best served by minimum

governance and limited state authority


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ACT UTILITARIANISM

Do those acts whichproduce the greatest good

for the greatest number Thus rules or laws may be

deserted in those instanceswhere following them

would not produce greatestgood for the greatestnumber.

You need to follow therule appropriate to that

kind of situation you arein.

And adopt the samewhich will produce the

greatest good for thegreatest number

RULE UTILITARIANISM


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The connection between these two has as longtradition

Bentham thought that the principle of utility canguide the lawmakers as the purpose of law and moral

are one,it is to PROMOTE GENERAL WELFARE OFTHE PEOPLE

Mills The sole end for which mankind are warranted,in prying with the liberty of action of others is self

protection. It can be rightfully exercised over anymember of a civilized community, against his will , isto prevent harm to others.


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1987 Constitution

General welfare is defined as mandate where the

government by virtue of its police powers may adoptordinances to secure the peace , safety, health, moralsand the best and highest interests of the entity

Revised Administrative Code

General welfare clause as that where municipal councilshall enact such ordinances and make such

regulations, not repugnant to law


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Actions are Right when they maximize the Good

Whether an action is morally right or wrong depends

entirely on its consequences. An action is right if it

brings about the best outcome of the choices available.otherwise it is wrong.

Ex: Suppoe A promise to pay his debt of P10k to B nextwk.It is alright if by then he will not pay if he will usethe money in a much important situation ,for instancespend it to homeless people or relative who is in thehospital (it generates better consequence)


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The only important thing is the amount of happinessthan unhappiness

Ex: A man took photos of a semi nude sleeping womanand the man kept the photos for his personalenjoyment and never shared it with anyone.Forutilitarian ,this ia alright.No one was hurt,the woman

did not know of the photos and man was made morehappy.


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Each ones happiness and welfare are equally important.

Ex: Saving a scientist who is working on a possible cure

for AIDS over your loved ones who are both confinedin a burning hospital

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Ethical Relativism and Utilitarianism