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MrunalEthics(E1/P2)TheoriesTeleologicalvs.DeontologicalEthics

Mrunalhttp://mrunal.org

[Ethics]E1/P2:HumanInterface:TheoriesofEthicsTeleological,
Deontological,VirtueEthics,ConductEthics,Rightsbased,
Utilitarianism,Hedonism,Egoism,
PostedByMrunalOn20/09/2015@6:15pmInEthics|23Comments
1. 3TheoriesofEthics(VCR)
2. T1:VirtueEthics
3. T2:ConductEthics
1. T2A:UtilitarianTheory
2. T2B:Hedonism
3. T2C:Egoism
4. SummaryofConductEthics
4. T3:RightsBasedEthics
1. 3Generationofrights
2. JohnRawls
5. Casestudy:Sardar&ICS
6. Casestudy:Ethicaljustification?
7. DescriptiveQuestions(200wordseach)
Inthepreviouspart(E1/P1),welookedatthetypesofjudgmentsandpreconditionsforethicalscrutiny.Inthis
part,weshalllookatvarioustheoriesofethics,theirmeritsanddemerits.

3TheoriesofEthics(VCR)

1.Virtue
Ethics

Wejudgeapersonsvirtueratherthanhisconduct
Wefocusonconductratherthanperson.Further

2.Conduct
Ethics

Ifwefocusoncourse/means/action:Deontological
Ifwefocusongoal/end/outcome:Teleoglogical/consequentialism.

3.Rights
Wegiverightstoanindividual.Byxyzaction,whetherrightsofMr.ABCareviolatedor
basedEthics not?Onthatparameterwellevaluatetheaction

T1:VirtueEthics
Focusmoreonvirtuesoftheagentratherthanconsequencesofhisactions.
Plato

GavefourCardinalvirtuesofagoodman:Wisdom,Courage,Temperance,Justice.

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Aristotle

ProposedGoldenMean.Whichmeansavoidingextremegoodandextremebad.
Avoidingaltruism(Maximumhappinesstootherswhileignoringyours)andavoiding
hedonism(maximumpleasureforyourself).
BuddhistphilosophyofMadhyamapratipadproposesthesamemiddleway.
Althoughitcantbeappliedtoallcases.e.g.ifsomeoneallegesyoureamadman,you
cantsayImhalfmad!

T2:ConductEthics

Teleological:Consequentialism
Examples:(1)Utilitarianism(2)Hedonism(3)Egoism
FocusonEnd/Goals/Consequences
Wedhavegainedindependencesooner,hadweused
violenceagainsttheBritish,andsoonerwegained
independence,fasterwedhavebecomea1stworld
country,so,useofviolenceisright,becauseendgoalis
noble.
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Deontological:Nonconsequentialism
Examples(1)Varnashramdharma(2)lawof
Karma(3)religiousscripture
Focusonmeans/methods/actions
AlsoknownasDutybasedethics
Gandhi:Wedontwanttogainindependence
throughtheuseofviolence.Becauseeven
thoughselfruleisanoblegoal,violenceisnot
therightmean/instrumenttoachieveit.
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1. Itmayjustifyrobbingabank,IFthelootedmoneyis
tobeusedforcharity.
2. Itmayjustifypiratingcoachingclassmaterial,
becauseitllleadtogreatestgoodforgreatestnumber
ofpeople.

Kant:Piracyasaprocessiswrong.Because
itviolatestherighttoproperty.Anyways,
welldiscussKantindetail,inseparatelecture
onSyllabustopic#5:MoralThinkers.

Inboth1and2,wearefocusingontheend.
Itsoktolie,tosavesomeoneslife.

Difficulttojustifybecausebylyingwere
violatingtheotherpersonsrightto
knowledge.
Givesmotivationtowork,evenwhentheresult
isuncertainorfaraway.e.g.LordKrishna
advisingArjuntofightinthewaragainstthe
Kaurav.

Anyways,itsnotimportanttogetintofinernuancesofeachandeverythinkerandtheory,wejusthavetosee
itsapplicationincasestudies.So,whilesolvingacasestudy,trytoseeitthroughtheglassesofvarious
theories.

T2A:UtilitarianTheory

Utilitarianism:iflynchingmakes99peoplehappyandonepersonunhappy,isitgood?
Utilitarianismsaysyoushouldworkforgreatesthappinessforgreatestnumberofpeople.
Alynchmobkillsapersonbelievingacommittedacrime.
Inthiscasesay100peopleshappinessminus1deadguysunhappiness=99unitsofhappiness.So,isit
anethicalactionafterallitledtomaximumhappinessformaximumpeople?
Thus,intraditionalActUtilitarianismtheory,lynchmobisjustifiable.
But,WhatifwemakearuleoutofabovecaseI.e.itisokforpeopletokillotherpeople.Ifthisruleis
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heldvalidthenpeoplewillfearcomingoutoftheirhome=>economy&societywillcollapse=>not
maximumgoodformaximumpeople.
Therefore,byapplicationofRuleutilitarianism,wecanprovelynchmobisethicallywrong.

Utilitarianismisnotsameasaltruism.
Altruism
Youshouldputotherpeopleshappinessbeforeyourownhappiness.
Youshouldstriveformaximumpeopleshappiness,yourealsopartofthatcrowd.So,your
Utilitarianism
ownhappinessalsomattersasaunit.
Hedonism
Youshouldmaximizeyourownpleasure.

Utilitarianism:Meritsanddemerits
Demerits

Merits
Democraticwayof
decisionmaking.
Whoshould
becomePM?Ans.
Theonewhose
partygets
maximumvotes.
Ensuredistributive
justice.Takehigher
taxesfromtherich
anduseitforthe
welfareschemeof
thepoor.

Minorityvoice/opinionisnotconsidered.Becauseutilitarianism
concernedwithbenefittomajority.
Utilitarianismwouldnotagreewiththefundamentalrightsgivento
minorities.
Orthodoxviewsarevalidated.e.g.inthetimesofRajaRamMohanRai,
peoplethoughtSatisystemwasright.
Noteveryhappinessisquantifiableorcomparable:isreading
ShakespeareequivalenttohappinessofeatingtwoMacdonaldburgers?So,
whichhappinessshouldgovernmentprovidetocitizens?Although
thinkerslaterqualifiedthelevelsofhappiness.ReadingShakespeareis
sublimehappinesssoitcantbeequivalenttoeven100macburgers.

Youvetokeepthemeritsanddemeritsofeachtheoryinmind,toensureitsproperapplicationincasestudies.
E.g.ifacasestudyinvolvesminorityrightsorfeminism,itmaynotberighttobendtheutilitarianismprinciple
tojustifyyourstand.

T2B:Hedonism
Hedonismsaysmaximizeyourownpleasure/happiness.
AmongIndianphilosophicalschools,Charvakaschool(Lokayatmat)advocatesthesame.
Hedonism
Epicureanism
Gandhism

StriveforPleasureinallforms.Pleasureistheonlytruthoflife.
Absenceofpainisthegreatestpleasure.
Sustainablepleasureis(1)freedomfromfear(2)freedomfrombodilypain
Sustainablepleasureobtainedby(1)Knowledge(2)friendship(3)ModestLife
oppositeofHedonismbecauseitpreachesCompletecontroloversenses,Bramhcharya.

Hedonism:MeritsandDemerits
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Merit
Focusonmaximumhappiness
ifwestopdefiningHedonismasgrosssensual
pleasureandfocusonlonglastingsustainable
pleasurethenitisrefinedhedonism.
Refinedhedonism:appreciatingart,investingin
personalrelations,cultivatinghobbies.
SimilarlyEpicureanismalsoencouragesustolive
happy,modest,goodlifeandinvestinfriendship.

Promotesconsumerism:boosttoeconomy,employment
generation.Ifeveryonepursuesasceticlifestyle,wholl
providefoodtothefamiliesofChineseworkersinapple
factory?

Demerits
Drugabusegivesshorttermpleasure,
hedonismwouldjustifyit.
Itsoktospendsalaryonlavishlifestyle
ratherthansavingitforpension.
Healthandfinancialprudencegiveslong
termhappinessattheexpenseofshort
termdiscomfort.ButaGrossHedonist
wouldntlikeit.
Lawofmarginalutility:youveto
consumemoreandmoretogetsame
amountofpleasure.
This,consumerismleadstoexploitation
ofnaturalresourceswhichisnotgoodfor
environmentandsustainable
development.
Greedbecomesneed.

MoralSkepticism
AccordingtoSophists(Greece)andCharvaka(AncientIndia)Ethicalstudieshavenologicalfoundation
because
1. Therearenofixed/objectivecriteriatoseparatemoralactfromimmoralact,therefore,menare
incapableofpursuingmoralpath
2. Ifmenpursuemoralpath,itllnotbeintheirbestselfinterest.
3. Externalforcesdetermineamansaction,sorarelyamanhasfreewilltochoosehisownaction.
AndthisthoughtprocessleadstonexttheoryofethicsEgoism

T2C:Egoism
Egoismsaysmaximizeyourownselfinterest.Because(1)itisinhumannaturetoavoidpain(2)itisirrational
foramantoignorehisselfinterest.
Hedonism

Itisoktosleeptilllate,evenifyoumissimportantbusinessmeeting.

Egoism

Youshouldwalkupearly,iftheresanimportantbusinessmeeting.
Similarly,Agirlwantingtobecomefashionmodelwilldenyherselfthepleasureofgood
food(Hedonism),toremainthinandslim.

Ifparentssacrificepersonalcomfortsforbettereducationforchildren,ifbusinessmangivespartofhis
incomeinphilanthropiccauses,ifasoldiersacrificeshislifeforprotectionofthenationhowdoes
Egoisminterpretethem?
Egoismsaysinallsuchactionsareunconsciouslyselfish.e.g.philanthropyhiddenobjectiveofgaining
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fameandrespect.Althoughhiddenmotivesaredifficulttoverify.
Egoism:MeritsandDemerits
Merit

Demerit

Egoismcanleadtohappinessforothersalsoe.g.MukeshAmbanis
decisiontorunarefineryatJamnagarisdrivenbyhisownselfinterest
ofprofitgenerationbutitalsogeneratesemploymentforlakhsof
people.Capitalismworksparalleltothis.

Labourexploitation.Not
alwaysenvironmentally
sustainableorsocially
inclusive.Trickledown
doesntalwayswork.
Inaresourcescarecountry,
willnotwork.Andincrease
thedividebetweentherich
andthepoor.

Yourerunningamobilecompanywithprofitmotive,butatthesame
timeyouredoingasocialservicebyhelpingpeopleintheirneedto
communicatewithothers.

Mobiletowerradiation
harmingentiresocietyinthe
longterm.
Ifeveryonelooking@his
selfinterest,whollcarefor
futuregenerationakanomore
sustainableDevelopment.

Ifeveryonetriestomaximumhisownselfinterest,stilltherewillbe
resistancebyothers,soultimatelyanequilibriumwillbeestablished
whereinitswinwinforall.

Ifeveryonetriestomaximizehis
ownselfinterest,itllleadto
disaster.e.g.Prisonersdilemma

ThedemeritsofegoismencouragedMathematicianJohnNash(movie:Abeautifulmind),toworkonGame
theory.Hediedin2015,May.Soconsiderthathomework,forsomeethicalcasestudyinvolvinggametheory.

SummaryofConductEthics
Theory

Utilitarianism

Hedonism

Egoism

Thinkers
1. Jeremy
2. Bentham
3. John
Stuart
Mill.

Meaning

Maximumhappinessfor
maximumno.ofpeople

1. Charvaka
Maximumpleasurefor
2. Epicurus
yourself
(Refined)

1. Greek
Sophists

Maximumselfinterest

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Merits

Demerits

DemocraticDecision
Making

Minority
unheard
Orthodoxy

Refinedhedonism:
longtermsustained
pleasure
Consumerismboom
toeconomy

Consumerism
vs.
environment
Greed
becomes
need

Capitalism,trickledown

Prisonersdilemma
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2. Hobbes
3. Nietzsche

T3:RightsBasedEthics
Wegiverightstoanindividual.Byxyzaction,whetherrightsofMr.ABCareviolatedornot?Onthat
parameterwellevaluatetheaction.
InChina,apersonfromruralareacantmovetoShanghaiwithoutpermit.So,hisrighttoself
developmentisviolated.
InN.Korea,ordinarycitizensaredeniedinternetservice,sotheirrighttoknowledgeidviolated,although
theStatemayjustifyitsayinginternetbanisnecessaryformaintenanceoflawandorderortoprevent
thebrainwashingoftheNorthKoreansbyWesternpowers.
Whenrightsaregiven,itimposesaccountabilityonthegovernment.e.gFreedomofexpression
=>Media=>Checkoncorruption.
Righttoeducation=>enlightenedcitizenry=>theyexerciseRTIandtherebymakegovernment
answerable.
Humanrights:ensuresfeudalismdoesntcomeback.
So,Howdowejudgeanactionusingrightsbasedtheory?Ourthinkingofrightsbasedethicsbeginswith
theliberalism.
NegativeApproach
Freedomof
expression:Stateis
deniedfrom
encroachingin
individualsphere.
Mostofour
fundamentalrights
arenegative.

PositiveApproach
Stateisenabledtoempowerthecitizenry.e.g.Freedomofmovementisa
negativeright,butifthestateconstructsmorehighwaysandrailwaysto
enablefastermovementofgoodsandpeople,thestateisenablingthe
citizenstoenjoytheirrights.
Samewayrighttoeducation=>Governmentmakingmoresarkaari
schools.

3Generationofrights
1st
Gen

Negativerights.Usuallypoliticalrightse.g.righttovote,civilliberties.
Butthesewerefoundtobeinadequate.e.g.womengotrighttovotebuttheyfounditdidnotlead
totheirrealdevelopment.Thisgavebirthto2ndgenerationrights

2nd
Gen

Enablingrights,developmentalrights,positiverights.
e.g.Socialsecurity,righttohealth,education

3rd
Gen

Environmentalrights:Kyotoprotocol,Rio+20andsubsequentsustainableDevelopmentgoals
(SDG)
Grouprights,culturalrightse.g.ensuringprotectionofthecultureofNorthEastpeople.

JohnRawls
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LeadingthinkerofthisschoolisJohnRawls.AssuchnotmuchpointdoingPh.Donhim,allyoushould
rememberishetriedtoreconcilebetweenLiberty(capitalism)andEquality(Communism)
Liberty

Equality

givemaximumlibertytopeoplewithoutencroachingonotherpeoplesliberties.
IfAmbaniisearningRs.1,000crore,ifthatleadstothepoorgettingRs.10crore(saythrough
taxationandtrickledown),thenitisethical.ThisisakintoGandhisAntyodaya.
ThisisdifferentfromCapitalismbecausetheydnotliketaxation.
Thisisdifferentfromcommunism,becausetheydwantwealthofAmbanitobeequally
distributedamongallpoor.

ForCasestudies,keepinmindrightsbasedapproachshouldbeusedformajorthemesonlye.g.speech,
health,education.Fortrivialindividualistthings,e.g.lying,stealingbettertoapplyothertheoriesforyour
answer.

Casestudy:Sardar&ICS
DuringtheBritishera,ICS(IndianCivilservices)officerswereresponsibleforarrestandpersecutionofSardar
Patelandmanyotherfreedomfighters.Yet,afterindependence,PateldecidedtocontinueICSserviceundera
newnameIASandretainedthoseICSofficersinit,despitetheoppositionbytheothermembersof
Constituentassembly.DiscusstheethicaldilemmasthatSardarPatelwouldhavefacedbeforearrivingatthis
decision.

Casestudy:Ethicaljustification?
Isfollowingcourseofactionethicallyjustifiable?Yes/NoandWhy?
1. Itisoktoremoveorgansofaconvictondeathrowwithouthisconsent,IFwetransplantthemtoneedy
childrenfrompoorfamilies.
2. Itisokforgovernmenttorunopiumfarms,providedtheysellittoforeigncountriesusethemoneyfor
benefitofthepoor.
3. Weshouldlegalizeprostitutionbecauseitllleadtolessexploitationofthewomeninthehandsofpimps
andpolicemen.
4. Governmentshouldbancigarettesandalcoholfrommoviessinceitinfluencesyoungaudiencetobegin
smokinganddrinking.
5. Womeninarmedforcesshouldbepostedonlyinthedeskjobs,sincetheyrephysicallylessfittoserve
infrontlinefieldposts.

DescriptiveQuestions(200wordseach)
1. Discussinbrief,majortheoriesofEthics.Whichofthem,inyouropinion,answersthemoralDilemma
betterthanothers?
2. Utilitarianism,thoughlogicallyconsistent,hasinternalcontradictions.Doyouagree?Justifyyourstand?
3. DefineBetrayal.Narrateahistoricexampleofbetrayalanddiscusstheunderlyingethicalcurrents.
4. Moralvalueofanactisnotwhollydependentonitsconsequences.Discusswithahistoricexample.
5. AuniversaltheoryofEthicsisimpossibletoframesincethemoralchoicesdependonculture,religion,
regionandtimeperiod.Doyouagree,Justifyyourstand.
6. AccordingtoCharvakaandothermoralscepticsEthicshasnologicalfoundationandperceptionisthe
onlysourceofknowledge.Doyouagree,Justifyyourstand.
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Inthethirdpart(E1/P3)welllookatvalues,roleoffamilysocietyEdu.Institutionsininculcatinghuman
valuesandethicsinpublicandprivaterelations.VisitMrunal.org/EthicsformorestudymaterialonEthics.
ArticleprintedfromMrunal:http://mrunal.org
URLtoarticle:http://mrunal.org/2015/09/e1p2ethicsdeontologicaltelologicalvirtueethics.html
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