Ethics and the Watchmen

A review of some relevant ethical theories

 Three Main Theories. Three Main
Characters
• Utilitarianism. Ozymandias

• Deontology. Rorschach

• Virtue Ethics. Night Owl

The “Ultimate End” and Ozymandia’s Plan. A response
to the question: ‘what is the greatest total good’?

An existence exempt as far as

possible from pain, and as rich as
possible in enjoyments, both in
point of quantity and quality.
J.S.Mill
 The Principle of Utility
Utilitarian creed: “The creed which
accepts as the foundation of morals,
Utility, or the Greatest Happiness
Principle, holds that actions are right in
proportion as they tend to promote
happiness, wrong as they tend to produce
the reverse of happiness. Happiness is
intended pleasure and the absence of
pain; unhappiness, pain, and the privation
of pleasure…” J.S. Mill
Never compromise, not even in the face of
Armageddon

Deontology: rules bind you to your duty. Ethics is part of a normative system.
 Deontology
Ozymandias (utilitarianism) treats
humans as means to an end (panopticon).
People become numbers instead of
human beings?
Categorical Imperative. Immanuel Kant
(and Rorschach? Hypothetical Imperative)
Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should
become a universal law without contradiction.

Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person
of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.

Act according to maxims of a universally legislating member of a merely possible

kingdom of ends.
 Virtue Ethics

However, the utilitarian approves the love of virtue up to the

greatest strength possible, as being above all things important to
the general happiness. John Stuart Mill.

How should I carry my actions for my life to be worth

living?

Follow the main virtues, defined by the Golden Mean,

the middle between two extremes. Try to have a
complete existence (eudemonia).
 Nihilism and The Comedian
From the Latin nihil (nothingness), nihilism does not believe there is a purpose in life.
Existence is meaningless and there is no higher authority. In common speech nihilism is
considered destructive and pessimistic, but many philosophers have defended it from
an optimistic perspective: Gorgias, Diogenes, Nietzsche…
 Feminist Ethics and Silk Spectre

The female perspective:

1) Views that justify the subordination or women are false.
2) To the extent that philosophers ignore women’s experiences, their theories are
bound to be incomplete, biased and inaccurate.
3) Traits traditionally associated with women (empathy, sympathy, caring, altruism,
mercy, compassion) are at least as morally important as traditionally masculine
traits.
4) Traditionally feminine ways of moral reasoning (cooperation, flexibility, openness to
competing ideas) are often superior to traditionally masculine ways of reasoning.