Challenge of moral philosophy: a system which resolves morality and ethics together.
tools
- definitions
- appearance vs. reality (descriptive vs. true values)
- reflective equilibrium
morality
morality is paradimatically a set of rules/expectations (concerning character/motives/emotions) for right/wrong behavior.
A code of conduct that people “must” follow to…
- regulate / guide interpersonal interactions
- rules that concern…
- harm / benefit
- justice / fairness
- loyalty / obedience
- sanctity / purity
Key question of morality: what do we owe to each other? what do I owe other people?
example
twelve commandments
- no other gods
- no idols
- no swearing
- keep sabbath holy
- honor parents
- don’t murder
- don’t commit adultery
- no stealing
- no lying
- no coveting
descritive morality
what people think or believe is right and wrong
- privileging some kind of in-group
true morality
what is right and wrong
ethics
- what’s a good life?
- how should I live?
- what should I do, all things considered?
modern morality
Modern morality has four typical features:
- “universal” — applies to everyone
- “impartial / egalitarian” — everyone counts the same, everyone is “equally real”
- “inescapable” — you can’t ot out
- “overriding” — morality is important, moral considerations are weighty + need to be taken seriously (“always beat others”)
theory
Why do we need theory?
- identify the “correct” rules / principles in a systematic way
- we want to know why these “correct” rules are correct
- why be moral?
- how do we know any of this? what’s the methodology?
coherentism
A coherentism is looping belief that forms the basis of a belief.
Agrippa’s Trilemma
Beliefs help justify observations.
digraph {
graph [bgcolor=transparent];
node [fontcolor=white, color=white];
edge [fontcolor=white, color=white];
observation [shape=rectangle];
dot [shape=none, label="..."]
belief1 -> "observation" -> belief2 -> {"belief3", "belief4"};
"belief4" -> observation [label="coherentism"];
"belief3" -> dot;
}
reflective equilibrium
once figure above reaches equilibrium, that’s reflective equilibrium