Handouts

• Lecture №9 Ethics. Philosophy of values

• εθος [ethos]

• Greek word for custom or habit, the

characteristic conduct of an individual human
life. Hence, beginning with Aristotle, ethics is
the study of human conduct, and the
Stoics held that all behavior—for good or evil
—arises from the εθος of the individual.
 The Goal of Ethics
• Aristotle discussed the conditions under which
moral responsibility may be ascribed to
individual agents, the nature of the virtues
and vices involved in moral evaluation, and
the methods of achieving happiness in human
life. The central issue for Aristotle is the
question of character or personality — what
does it take for an individual human being to
be a good person?
• The good for human beings, then, must essentially
involve the entire proper function of human life as a
whole, and this must be an activity of the soul that
expresses genuine virtue or excellence. Thus, human
beings should aim at a life in full conformity with their
rational natures; for this, the satisfaction of desires and
the acquisition of material goods are less important than
the achievement of virtue. A happy person will exhibit a
personality appropriately balanced between reasons and
desires, with moderation characterizing all. In this sense,
at least, "virtue is its own reward." True happiness can
therefore be attained only through the cultivation of the
virtues that make a human life complete.
• virtue {Gk. αρετη [aretê]; Lat. virtus}
• Excellence, skill, or art. In classical thought,
virtues are admirable human characteristics or
dispositions that distinguish good people from
bad. Socrates sought a singular virtue for
human life, while Plato identified four central
virtues present in the ideal state or person.
Aristotle held that every moral virtue is the
mean between vicious extremes. (порочные
крайности)
• Philosophical ethics begins with the Greek
Sophists of the fifth century B.C.E., who
started to reflect on their ethical codes and
values, and raised critical questions about
morality, such as how it came to exist, and
why one should follow its guidelines. Many of
the same questions that preoccupied ancient
ethical thinkers continue to be debated down
to the present day.
• Philosophy of Ethics concerned with the
evaluation of human conduct. Philosophers
commonly distinguish:
• descriptive ethics, the factual study of the ethical
standards or principles of a group or tradition;
• normative ethics, the development of theories
that systematically denominate right and wrong
actions;
• applied ethics, the use of these theories to form
judgments regarding practical cases; and
• meta-ethics, careful analysis of the meaning and
justification of ethical claims.
 Theory of value
• The concept of the good, the target of the theory of
value, or axiology (from the Greek axios = worth;
logos =science), aims to explain what sort of property
goodness is, and to determine what things are good.
Goodness is not equivalent to moral goodness. Works
of art have value, but not moral value. Or again,
relaxation may be good for a person, but there is
nothing morally good about taking a walk. The theory
of value is concerned with the nature of goodness in
general, of which moral goodness is one species.
• What is the relationship between the theory of right action and
the theory of value? The answer depends on the normative
theory concerned. As indicated above, classical utilitarianism
aims to account for right action in terms of the promotion of
human good. In this respect, utilitarianism requires an account of
human good in order to specify just what sort of good
consequences must be maximized. By contrast, deontological
theories, of which Kant’s ethics is the best-known example, do
not explain right action in terms of the promotion of good. Many
deontologists would argue that it is wrong to kill an innocent
person no matter what the value of the consequences might be.
So whereas the utilitarian defines right action in terms of the
promotion of goodness, the deontologist holds that, for example,
respecting people’s rights is more important that increasing the
amount of value in the world. This is sometimes expressed by
saying that deontology makes the right prior to the good.
• Theories of value are often classified in terms of the subjective-
objective distinction. Subjectivist theories hold that value is
dependent on producing pleasure, being desired, or preferred,
or more abstractly, on what would be preferred in certain ideal
conditions. Utilitarianism theories of value, such as hedonism
and its descendants, desire and preference satisfaction theories,
are paradigmatic subjectivist accounts of value. By contrast,
objectivist theories of value say that certain things and states are
valuable independently whether they produce pleasure, are
desired, or preferred. Perfectionism is an objectivist theory of
value according to which goodness depends on the actualization
or perfection of human nature. According to Aristotle, for
instance, fulfilling the function (ergon) of a human being
involves the exercise and perfection of its rational capacities. It
follows that the good life for man involves the attainment of
virtue or excellence (arête) in reason.
 Values
Values are general abstract moral principles
defining what is right or wrong, good or bad,
desirable or undesirable.
In other words values often come in pairs of
positive and negative terms.
Values define general moral qualities of
behavior expected from members of society
such as honesty, patriotism or commitment to
freedom.
 The main Cultural values of Kazakh:
1. Governmental management based on ruling beys and jyraus,
(striving for objectivity and justice);
2. Valuable of freedom and peace;
3. Ability to forgive and forget everything bad history. Positive
philosophy for the future (Asharshylyk 3 million 1921-1933
– 1941 Holocaust 6 million).
4. Hospitality
 Ethical worldviews:
1. Tolerance to other culture and nation;
2. Society without slavery, human equality
rights;
3. Highest level of ecological culture
(Shanyrak-Rome buildings);
 Development of any society depend from scientist or personality.

PERSONALITY - a person who has a set of

rights, freedoms and duties that give him an
independent, recognized and protected by society
status, a special autonomous position in society.
 Analyze cultural values of personality kaz.
Essay or Presentation. Top modern 10 Person:

1.Margulan Seisembaev – ALMAU, Seimar, Alel etc.;

2.Omar Jalel – author of books “Xareket”;
3.Kuanysh Shonbay: “Ekinshi bolma”, ShOU;
4.Ardak Nazarov – “Alem fighters” martial arts club;
5.Zhanbolat Mamay: “Zulamat” documental film;
6.Kayrat Joldybay: book “Iamani gul”
7.Beisen Kuranbek – “Aytuga onay” “Jigittin 7 kyry”;
8. Bauyrzhan Ospanov – “Jer su” corporation, Jylandy;
9. Aydyn Raxymbaev – “BI-group” “BI University”;
10. Saysat Nurbek – “Bolashak bagdarlamasy” kenester,
ALMAU
 3. Philosophical Thoughts in the XIX-ХХ
century:
The specificity of Kazakh Culture is
traditionally its introverted orientation, focus
on the problem of human existence, a spiritual
search for the meaning of the life foundations
of human being.
 Shakarim Kudaiberdiulu

According to the modern Kazakhstan

philosopher O.A. Segizbaev, the cultural
views of Sh. Kudaiberdiulu is theological
humanism, as it “is entirely aimed at giving
the theological justification for the necessity
of humanizing a person”.
 For seminar discussion.
Sh. Kudayberdiuly: “THREE TRUTH”:

1) Creator - lord or source of

the knowledge;
2) Human soul - eternal,
existing also after live;
3) “Ar-ujdan” (conscience ) - is
the basis for the soul on two worlds
(this and next).
 Al-Farabi Al-Madina al-fadila
- The Ideas of the Citizens in the Virtuous City
 • Mainly under the influence of
Plato, he developed his idea of the
virtuous city (polis, al-madina al-
fadilah)) as the association in
which human species can best meet
its various needs.
 The imperfect cities which he divided into 4:

• 1.Ignorant city (al-madina al-jahiliyya);

• 2.The immoral city (al-madina al-
fasiqa);
• 3.The erring city (al-madina al-
mubaddala);
• 4.The straying city (al-madina al-dalla).
 Virtuous ruler of the city should combine the following 12 qualities:

• 1. Absolutely perfect intelligence with which one

could improve - shat any necessary action.
• 2. To be able to understand the nature of the fine
and imagine all that he said, reflecting on
compliance heard reality.
• 3. Good memory.
• 4. Principled and visionary mind.
• 5. Expressive style.
• 6. Tendency of learning and knowledge, reaching
them easily without pain.
• 7. To be temperate in food, drinks in
hand, to avoid entertainment.
• 8. To love truth and its advocates hate lies.
• 9. To have a proud soul and cherish honor.
• 10. To despise money and other attributes
of the worldly life.
• 11. To love and justice advocates.
• 12. Demonstrate determination in the
commission of what he considers
necessary in this case be brave.