Theme The ethics of duty (Kantian Ethics)
What morality is • It says what morals is about: following the law. It also defines
about what is right and wrong.
• We ought to do the right thing for the right reason.
• It responds to the question: what should I do?
Moral terminology • Deontic (Based on duty)
• It is focused on the action and whether it is right or wrong.
• The concepts are thin, it means it monochromatic (good or bad)
• What is good is defined in terms of what is the right thing to do.
The nature of norms • Practical necessity (what we ought to do/the way we should
act) is seen as an obligation and obedience
• This is an absolute theory leading to moral dilemmas.
• The theory is based on general principles. i.e. that apply to
everyone.
• The theory is justified by reason.
• It comes from the perspective of justice.
• It is impartial, it does not take anybody’s side.
• The reasons for acting in a moral way come from external
influences to the individual. i.e. the law.
• It is moral realism.
The basis of norms • It is based on a priori reason. i.e. It comes before experience
and it does not need the experience to be demonstrated.
• It can be justified on basic or foundational beliefs that justify
other beliefs. In this way it generates a system.
• It is universal. It applies to everyone in the same way.
Moral psychology • Dualism (we are body and soul): goodness comes from the will
or the soul.
• It assumes that our consciousness is lucid and clear enough to
support will and voluntariness.
• Persons act in accordance to laws. So they are social atoms.
The nature of moral • Agent-neutral, it does not matter who is the person, the rules
judgements about are the same.
others • Actions that go beyond the call of duty (supererogatory) are
difficult to understand.
Virtue Ethics (Aristotelean Ethics)
• It goes beyond what is defined as good and bad.
• It accepts that the person (The self) is ethically important
• It responds to the question: What should I be? Or How should I
live?
• Aretaic (Based on Virtues)
• Focusses on the person and the formation of the character.
• The concepts are thick, it means that they are polychromatic
(things are not just or bad. There are scales of goodness and
badness in each action).
• What is good is defined as the excellence of the human being.
• Practical necessity (what we ought to do/the way we should act) is
seen as an expression of the character of the person and a
response to values held by that person.
• Stringency (rigour) is variable. It requires judgement.
• The theory responds to particular considerations depending on
the subject.
• The theory is influenced by emotion.
• It comes from the perspective of care.
• It is partial. It takes sides.
• The reasons for acting in a moral way come from internal
influences to the individual. i.e. emotions, desires, values.
• It is a social construction of ethics.
• It is based on intuitions that are based or grounded in community
traditions.
• It can be justified on the meaning of the virtue. i.e. Hermeneutics.
• It is not universal. It depends on the culture where it is applied.
• Holism (the whole person). Goodness comes from the
development of the whole person.
• It accepts that our consciousness does not always see things
clearly. It is often unclear and makes mistakes.
• Persons depend on each other and work in a society.
• Agent-relative, it varies from person to person.
• Actions that go beyond the call of duty are seen as virtuous.