PHIL 201 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE, ALREADY
GRADED A+.
Ethical Relativism essay by Pojman
Ethical Relativism
theory that there are no universally valid moral principles, that all moral principles are valid relative to
culture or to the individual; two types:
Conventionalism
moral principles are justified by virtue of their cultural acceptance; problem: what counts as a culture?
Subjectivism
all moral principles are justified simply in virtue of their acceptance by an individual; problem: Hitler is
just as moral as Ghandi
Tolerance and Moral relativism
if there are no universally valid moral principles, we are expected to be tolerant of everyone. these
statements contradict each other because then tolerance is a universal moral principle.
thesis of Ethical Relativism
Pojman argues that ethical relativism is a mistaken theory and that cultural differences do not
demonstrate that all ways of life are equally valid from a moral perspective
Objectivism
universal principles are accepted but not absolute; there are moral truths, principles belonging to the
core morality, without which society will not long survive and individuals will not flourish, discovered by
reason
main problems with ethical relativism (according to Pojman)
Ethical relativism goes wrong when it attempts to go from (1) the observation that different cultures
have different rules to (2) the conclusion that no culture's set of rules are better than any other cultures
set of rules (or even any ideal set of rules)
Psychological Egoism
what is psychological egoism
claims that all human actions are aimed at avoiding some personal loss or gaining some personal benefit
(or both), either in the short run or in the long-term; all actions are based only on self-interest
the main points from the "Argument from Strongest Desires" & Shafer-Landau's response
whenever you do something, you are motivated by your strongest desire | whenever you are motivated
by your strongest desire, you are pursuing your self-interest | therefore, whenever you do something,
, you are pursuing your self-interest; Premise 2 Begs the Question. Even if we always do what we most
want to do, that does not show that our strongest desires are always for personal gain.
the point concerning the Abraham Lincoln example and guilt
you do good because you want to avoid guilt | avoiding guilt is a self-interested motivation | we do
good out of self-interest; Abe Lincoln: "I should have had no peace of mind all day had I gone on and left
that suffering old sow worrying over those pigs. I did it to get peace of mind, don't you see?"
Ethical Egoism
what ethical egoism means
morality is based on self-interest; We ought only do what is in our overall, long-term interest
• The "best argument for EE" and the problem Landau sees with the argument
If you are morally required to do something, then you have a good reason to do it. | If there is a good
reason to do something, then doing it must advance your interests. | Therefore, if you are morally
required to do something, then it must advance your interests.; There are good reasons to help others
even when it in no way benefits our interests. ex: duties of easy rescue
• Nagel's argument against ethical egoism
we attribute an objective status to our needs in the sense that we believe such needs give other people
reasons not to harm us and, in certain instances, reasons to help us.
Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
examples of virtues and vices and the mean
virtue: state (or characteristic) involving choice and consists in observing a mean, relative to us, defined
by a rational principle such as one who has practical reason would use to determine it.
Cowardice ---- Courage --- Recklessness
Self-deprecation --- Truthfulness --- Boasting
Boorishness --- Wittiness --- Buffoonery
_________ --- Self-Control --- self-indulgent
Generosity, Gentleness, High-mindedness
Professor Gates' essay on "Self-Interest, Ethical Egoism, and the Gospel"
the claim that the gospel is ethical egoism
we ought to act only in our long-term interest | only righteousness is in our long-term interest |
according to the gospel, we ought to act only in harmony with righteousness | therefore, we ought to
act only in our long-term interest ... gospel advocates ethical egoism
the "normative objection" and professor Gates' response
GRADED A+.
Ethical Relativism essay by Pojman
Ethical Relativism
theory that there are no universally valid moral principles, that all moral principles are valid relative to
culture or to the individual; two types:
Conventionalism
moral principles are justified by virtue of their cultural acceptance; problem: what counts as a culture?
Subjectivism
all moral principles are justified simply in virtue of their acceptance by an individual; problem: Hitler is
just as moral as Ghandi
Tolerance and Moral relativism
if there are no universally valid moral principles, we are expected to be tolerant of everyone. these
statements contradict each other because then tolerance is a universal moral principle.
thesis of Ethical Relativism
Pojman argues that ethical relativism is a mistaken theory and that cultural differences do not
demonstrate that all ways of life are equally valid from a moral perspective
Objectivism
universal principles are accepted but not absolute; there are moral truths, principles belonging to the
core morality, without which society will not long survive and individuals will not flourish, discovered by
reason
main problems with ethical relativism (according to Pojman)
Ethical relativism goes wrong when it attempts to go from (1) the observation that different cultures
have different rules to (2) the conclusion that no culture's set of rules are better than any other cultures
set of rules (or even any ideal set of rules)
Psychological Egoism
what is psychological egoism
claims that all human actions are aimed at avoiding some personal loss or gaining some personal benefit
(or both), either in the short run or in the long-term; all actions are based only on self-interest
the main points from the "Argument from Strongest Desires" & Shafer-Landau's response
whenever you do something, you are motivated by your strongest desire | whenever you are motivated
by your strongest desire, you are pursuing your self-interest | therefore, whenever you do something,
, you are pursuing your self-interest; Premise 2 Begs the Question. Even if we always do what we most
want to do, that does not show that our strongest desires are always for personal gain.
the point concerning the Abraham Lincoln example and guilt
you do good because you want to avoid guilt | avoiding guilt is a self-interested motivation | we do
good out of self-interest; Abe Lincoln: "I should have had no peace of mind all day had I gone on and left
that suffering old sow worrying over those pigs. I did it to get peace of mind, don't you see?"
Ethical Egoism
what ethical egoism means
morality is based on self-interest; We ought only do what is in our overall, long-term interest
• The "best argument for EE" and the problem Landau sees with the argument
If you are morally required to do something, then you have a good reason to do it. | If there is a good
reason to do something, then doing it must advance your interests. | Therefore, if you are morally
required to do something, then it must advance your interests.; There are good reasons to help others
even when it in no way benefits our interests. ex: duties of easy rescue
• Nagel's argument against ethical egoism
we attribute an objective status to our needs in the sense that we believe such needs give other people
reasons not to harm us and, in certain instances, reasons to help us.
Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
examples of virtues and vices and the mean
virtue: state (or characteristic) involving choice and consists in observing a mean, relative to us, defined
by a rational principle such as one who has practical reason would use to determine it.
Cowardice ---- Courage --- Recklessness
Self-deprecation --- Truthfulness --- Boasting
Boorishness --- Wittiness --- Buffoonery
_________ --- Self-Control --- self-indulgent
Generosity, Gentleness, High-mindedness
Professor Gates' essay on "Self-Interest, Ethical Egoism, and the Gospel"
the claim that the gospel is ethical egoism
we ought to act only in our long-term interest | only righteousness is in our long-term interest |
according to the gospel, we ought to act only in harmony with righteousness | therefore, we ought to
act only in our long-term interest ... gospel advocates ethical egoism
the "normative objection" and professor Gates' response
