Chapter 1: Egoism and Moral Scepticism Amazon

Chapter 1: Egoism and Moral Scepticism Amazon
Link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534584306/
What I expect to learn?
I expect to learn about human perception of Egoism and moral skepticism and James
Rachel’s theories of this topic.
Quote: “Psychological egoism holds that all human actions are self-interested, whereas ethical egoism
says that all actions ought to be self-interest.”
Review:
People have different views in terms of approaching egoism in life. Psychological egoism
is about the fact that people do things selfishly in a way that they decide on their own whether they want
to help other people or not. It is a fact that a person’s egoism is based on what he decides to do. Normally,
we think about other people’s feeling in the way we act towards them. We want to obey the rules because
we think it will be the right thing to do in terms of doing well. People are sometimes called selfish
because they do what they ought to do but to think it deeply it is the person’s decision whether he or she
will do a good or bad thing. There are also some things that we don’t want to do but we are ought to do.
There are some things that we want to do because we think we are obliged to do it. We want to be
satisfied that is why we choose what we want to attain. There is some confusion that was mention on the
article. First is on selfishness with self-interest, selfish behavior is doing things that include self-interest
on doing something that person wants. Second is assumption that every action is done either from self-
interest or from other-regarding motives. Actions are done not selfishly and actions are not done due to
self-interest. The third confusion is a concern for one’s own welfare in compatible with any genuine
concern for the welfare of others. Sometimes we do something that will help other people even though we
know it won’t benefit us. An ethical egoism is doing something that will benefit only them. They are the
people that have no obligation to others and doing what their self-interest is no knowing what will be the
effect to others. They think that in every action we made is what we entail to right regardless of the effect
to others. Genuine Egoist is rare people whom don’t care of other people. It is because a man has feelings
of sympathy that recognize us as a person.
What I Learned?
• Psychological Egoism
• Ethical Egoism
Integrative Question:
1. What is Psychological Egoism?
2. What is Ethical Egoism?
3. What is the main point of the author in Egoism and Moral Scepticism?
4. What can the topic make us realize?
5. How will we know which is the right action to do?
Chapter 2: Religion, Morality and Conscience
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about the difference of religion, morality and conscience. I want to know how the topic
affects the way of living of the people.
Quote:
“three ways morality has been thought depend on religion: that without religious motivation people could
not be expected to do the right thing; that religion is necessary to provide guidance to people in their
search for the correct course of action; and that religion is essential for there even to be a right and
wrong.”
Review:
Morality is evaluating the behavior of others and the actions we perform. Attitudes are what we do in
relation to rules, rights and obligation. Morality is the way we act that also have motives to people.
Religion is a belief in supernatural power to help us to be a better person in the way we act. It is doing the
right thing based on what we believe. Doing the right thing is not necessary because of the religion we
have. Sometimes it came from what we want others to see us good. In a way religion helps us to know
whether what is good or bad thing to do. But thinking thoroughly we are the ones to decide which is good
to do. Morality and Religion have such historical that influence each other. Religion gives us guidance
and beliefs that we do to gain benefits. Morality is about how we interact with other people socially.
Being good is not about how deep we spiritually, it is about how we treat other people on our own
decision and conscience of doing what is right. A person doesn’t depend on religion to do what he needs
to do. A person normally acts the way he wants to be in relation to being morally responsible to the
society.
What I Learned?
• Religion
• Morality
• Consciense
1. What is morality?
2. What is religion?
3. What is conscience?
4. How do religion and morality influence each other?
5. What is the main point of the author in writing the topic?
Chapter 3: Master and Slave Morality
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-
White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn the difference of master and slave morality.
Quote:
“Nietzsche argues that a healthy society should allow superior individuals to exercise their “will
to power,” their drive toward domination and exploitation of the inferior”
Review:
A good and healthy society comes from a good leadership of a commonwealth. IT is accepting
good conscience of the sacrifice made by each individual. A will to power is a will to life. We
need someone to carryout power to serve for the good of a community. A good community
results from a good leadership. The moral values that will be implemented came from men.
When we apply good moral values we apply it to action. We need to know how to honor and
respect our own community. Slave morality is essentially for utility. This means that man came
from the fear and pain they made to became stronger. Master Morality is man who wants to
brought up fear and morality to others. The people who are superiors must practice the way of
will of power. It is willingness to do the right thing and to make sure that his followers will be on
the right hand. In this way a good and healthy society might grow into a better society for all
people. A superior person must act righteous and respectful in order to make sure that other will
follow in the right path of healthy society.
What I Learned?
• Healthy society
• Master and Slave Morality
1. What is Master Morality?
2. What is Slave Morality?
3. How Master and Slave Morality affect the people?
4. What is a healthy society?
5. How can we make a healthy society?
Chapter 4: Trying Out one’s New Sword
White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about moral isolationism and how it affects the society.
Quote:“Midgley attacks moral isolationism, the view of anthropologists and others that we
cannot criticize cultures that we do not understand”
Review:
People have different cultures and people who criticize other cultures because those aren’t their
own culture. Some cultures had barriers to other because of criticize may occur. We are used to
in judging thing like cultures. We share different suggestion and opinion expressing what we
believe. Moral isolationism is telling us not to criticize nor judge other people in a way that we
don’t understand other culture. But in the real world, moral judgement about other cultures is in
nature. We exchange opinions and suggestion because at the first place it is where culture came
from. Without moral judgment we can never have our own culture as well. Isolating one culture
is closing your doors to opportunities of more profound and improves culture in the future. So,
whether or not people have opinions on other culture we might as well deal with it as Midgley
says that there is one world and we have to live in it.
What I Learned?
• Moral Isolationism
• Culture Judgment
1. What is Moral Isolationism?
2. Why is culture judgment a tool to help?
3. What can moral isolationism affect the people?
4. What is the main point of the author?
5. What can we do to act rightly in dealing with culture
Chapter 5: Utilitarianism
White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about moral isolationism and how it affects the society.
Quote:
“Mill sets forth the basic principle of utilitarianism, including the Principle of Utility and the
hedonistic principle that happiness is pleasure.”
Review:
Happiness can be found on pleasure we decided to choose. When we set our standard to where
our happiness will be attained we deal with how high or low the standard we demand. A person
who set a high standard in dealing with happiness may have more difficulty attaining happiness.
It is because the span of happiness that person is finding is hard to attain. When a person set
lower standards, happiness comes on that person in easier way because that person can get what
he wants in lighter way. People get happiness when they are willingly wanted to get the
happiness. Some have pride that becomes a barrier on attaining happiness. It depends on the
person whether they will be satisfied easily or not. Happiness lies on what we decide to be.
Utilitarianism is dealing with nobleness of a person, who has a concern to other people and
himself in attaining happiness. Happiness is conduct and morality that we deal with in getting it.
What I Learned?
• Attaining happiness
• Utilitarianism
1. What is Utilitarianism?
2. How can we attain happiness?
3. Why is happiness important?
4. What is the main point of the author to the article?
5. What are the ways of having happiness?
Chapter 6: The Debate over Utilitarianism

White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about Utilitarianism and how people deal with it.
Quote:
“Utilitarianism is correct in telling us to consider the consequences of actions and in advising us
to be impartial, but incorrect in ignoring other important moral consideration such as merit.”
Review:
The actions we do are judge whether it is good or bad. It is about doing things in accord with
consequences. Right actions are to produce the greatest balance of happiness over uinhappiness.
Happiness is not to be counted. Right actions are the one who produces to good one. Giving
happiness to people as well as feeling happy towards yourself gives you happiness.Happiness is
a response in attaining the good and right one. In whatever we do our actions have corresponding
consequences that we deal in our daily activities. So, whether it is good or bad it depends on
what we believe it will happen. Happiness comes from what we believe has good consequences
or benefit in life. People have the power to choose what they want to do. But in correspond to it
they have responsibility on their own act. People have different action as well as different
response. So, whether or not we do the right thing there is corresponding effect that we people
will be dealing with when the situation occurs.
What I Learned?
• Debate on Utilitarianism
1. What can be the effect of Utilitarianism?
2. What are to be responsible of in Utilitarianism?
3. What is the main point of the author towards Utilitarianism?
4. Why our actions are judge?
5. What can we do to do the right one?
Chapter 7: The Categorical Imperative

White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about categorical imperative and the moral duty of the people.
Quote: “Kant believes that our moral duty can be formulated in one supreme rule, the
categorical imperative from which all our duties can be derived. “
Review:
People believe in gift of nature or gift of fortune where power, wealth, honor, health where
contentment and happiness lies. The good will is good because of the willingness alone of the
person to do the good thing. We also have duty in doing good thing but only those who are
willing to do that duty are what we can call good thing. The actions that we do are in accord to
our duty and purposes of self-interest. We do our duty in the will of our wants and needs. We do
duty in conformity of duty but not motive of our duty. We act in a way that we do maxim that is
the universal law. We do good thing in accord of what we ought to act to do the right thing. We
value what other people do to us and it has it means in every action we do. In this case, all of the
people have their own objective ends that have to do with the people and surroundings. We
should act in such ways that we give importance to the people because they are affected by what
we act. What we want others to do to us should be what we also do to them. We should do good
things to and exchange of accepting good things from other people.
What I Learned?
• Categorical imperative
• Supreme rule
• Duty of people
1. What is categorical imperative?
2. What is supreme rule?
3. What is duty to people?
4. Why do we need to do duty to achieve happiness?
5. What can we do to achieve happiness?
Chapter 8: Happiness and Virtue
White/dp/0534584306/
Quote: “Aristotle argues that all human beings seek happiness, and that happiness is not
pleasure, honor, or wealth, but an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.”
Review:
Knowledge aims well but those who act rightly are the ones who have more profit to hold.
Pleasure, wealth and honor differ from each other so we can’t tell that those are happiness.
Honor is to assured goodness and having practical wisdom. Wealth is a use for having something
that we need. We choose pleasure, honor, reason, and virtue to make happiness. Happiness
comes from good life and good action we done to make a better life. As we do good things and
noble ones we are doing this for virtue and when we do what is right we make happiness.
Happiness is the best and noble pleasant thing to have. Political power, friends, riches, beauty,
maybe our source of happiness but it’s for you to choose which is the one that will make you feel
the happiness you want. Happiness can also be the good fortune we have to have good life.
Happiness is an activity of soul that considers virtue. Virtue is a state of character where passion
and action are determined. Happiness also comes from the daily activities we have like eating
and be healthy. A man that wants happiness has many things in need. The life of a man who has
virtue is the ones who are happy.
What I Learned?
• Happiness
• Virtue
1. What is happiness?
2. What is virtue?
3. How is virtue and happiness related?
4. What can we do to have happiness?
Chapter 9: The Nature and Value of Rights

White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about value of rights.
Quote: “People in this world cannot make moral claims when they are treated justly. They
cannot demand or claim just treatment, and so they are deprived of self-respect and human
dignity.”
Review:
The duty we do is in order to do what we must according to the law that requires us to follow.
People believe that we require duty in order to have beneficial effect. The rights have also do
with claims. Right is claim and claim is an assertion of right. Being able to respect people is
important. We respect each other to recognize the worthy of another. In which if we respect
others is simply right thing to do. There is what we call human dignity that we give to each other
respect which results to right action. If we treat people justly they will also give respect to us
which is moral thing to do. People have human dignity which is having respect for one another
and be able to make them have a better living. Being moral is choosing the right action to be
done in exchange of good result. We do what is right to make sure that whatever future holds
will bring us good effect. Having good and right action gives us good beneficial results.
What I Learned?
• Value of Right
1. What is Rights?
2. What can we do to make the right choice?
4. What is right related to claim?
5. Why is human dignity important?
Chapter 10: Taking Rights Seriously

White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about the rights of the people and how to deal with it.
Quote:
“On Dworkin’s view, if a people have a right to do something, then it is wrong to interfere with
them.”
Review:
The rights had connection with the political debate. Citizens ahs moral rights and it is true
because if there is not citizens wont support the government. Our law deserves respect. They are
the powerful among the citizens and we all know that we have great respect to them. Some
others don’t agree to what law gives to them and in the end citizens has always the right to
defend against the government. The government proves us individual civil rights which has equal
protection. Civil people have a duty to obey the law even it invades their moral rights which has
conflicted to what the law says that citizens has their rights. There is a difference on someone has
the right to do as for him to do the right thing. Even if the citizens has the right to speech, the
government has still the power to rule what they think is the right thing to do. The government
still has the right to do the law that will protect people. The government is to do the right thing so
that the people will follow what is the right thing to do. So, it is important to have a good
government that will rule the citizens rightly. If the government didn’t take it seriously they are
not taking the law the right path.
What I Learned?
• Taking rights seriously
• Rights under law
1. What is the right thing to do seriously?
2. What is right under the law?
4. What can we do to make the right choice in doing the right action?
5. Where do we reflect to doing what is right?
Chapter 11: A Theory of Justice
White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about theory of justice and how it reflects to the society.
Quote:
“Rawls’s theory states that there are two principles of justice: The first principle involves equal
basic liberties, and the second principle concerns the arrangement of social and economic
inequalities.”
Review:
Justice is said to be in cooperation with fairness. They want to tell us that justice is being fair or
the same as fair. We want to cooperate with each other respect each other to gain fairness. We
are the one to choose what we think is justice for us we want something that will let us feel that
is fair. Each person has its own preference and interest on knowing what is right and good and in
which they find satisfaction and justice for themselves. It is said that justice requires equality in
the assignment of basic rights and duties and other one is social and economic inequalities. We
may view our society as equality in terms of having the right and responsibilities on doing the
right thing but on the other side there is inequality on wealth and authority of citizen. This falls
on the conflict of justice as fairness. Every person has the equal rights on the other side social
and economic inequalities are made for the people’s advantage. The distribution of wealth is
under the authority and responsibility by command. Everything is for having the benefit.
Whether it is social economic or wealth we all want to find justice for having the right choice to
make and satisfaction.
What I Learned?
• Justice equality
• Justice inequality
1. What is justice as inequality?
2. What is justice as equality?
4. Where does justice depend?
5. What can we do to have justice?
Chapter 12: The Need for More Than Justice
White/dp/0534584306/
I expect to learn about justice as moral theory.
Quote:
“Baier argues that the justice perspective by itself is inadequate as a moral theory. It overlooks
inequalities between people, it has an unrealistic view of freedom of choice, and it ignores the
importance of moral emotions such as love.”
Review:
Justice is important social values that can injustice an evil. We do justice for our own sake
because we fight for the right decision. Rights had been the privileged. We do the right thing in
order to protect others and recognize the law. There are moral rights between people as such
difference between a man and a woman. Woman at home has their duty as a wife and a man has
its own duty as a husband. A wife usually does the household choirs and the man is to give
support to the family. The children are to be taken care of to become respective adults. These
have been the usual responsibilities. Citizens have their own right to what they become and it has
already been ever since. Justice is also in cooperating with virtue. People have its own
intellectual perspective and that is the one who control and have their own will as citizens. Moral
theory has to be under the women and men to bind together harmoniously in justice and care.
The union of men and women can give a wisdom and understanding to each other to teach each
other moral skills that will reflect to their personality.
What I Learned?
• Moral Justice
1. What is justice as moral?
2. What are the social responsibilities of men in relation to justice?
3. What are the social responsibilities of women in relation to justice?
4. What is the author wants to tell us?
5. Why do we need justice?

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Chapter 1: Egoism and Moral Scepticism Amazon

Chapter 6: The Debate over Utilitarianism

Chapter 7: The Categorical Imperative

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-

Chapter 10: Taking Rights Seriously

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