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Understanding Ethics and Its Branches

The document compares 'ethic' and 'ethics', noting that 'ethic' refers to individual moral principles while 'ethics' encompasses the broader study of moral principles. It outlines three branches of ethics: Normative Ethics, Metaethics, and Applied Ethics, using football analogies to illustrate their roles. Additionally, it discusses contributions of philosophers like Descartes, Aquinas, Mill, and Kant to ethical thought, highlighting their unique perspectives on virtue, happiness, and moral duty.

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22 views4 pages

Understanding Ethics and Its Branches

The document compares 'ethic' and 'ethics', noting that 'ethic' refers to individual moral principles while 'ethics' encompasses the broader study of moral principles. It outlines three branches of ethics: Normative Ethics, Metaethics, and Applied Ethics, using football analogies to illustrate their roles. Additionally, it discusses contributions of philosophers like Descartes, Aquinas, Mill, and Kant to ethical thought, highlighting their unique perspectives on virtue, happiness, and moral duty.

Uploaded by

albernmanco02
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

For your first assignment, answer the following questions.

1. Compare and contrast ethic and ethics


"Ethic" and "ethics" are closely related but distinct terms. They both pertain to moral principles and
values but are used in different contexts. Here's a comparison and contrast:
1. Definition
 Ethic: Refers to a set of moral principles or a single guiding belief that governs an individual's or
group's behavior. It can also be a particular philosophy or code of conduct.
o Example: "The ethic of hard work is highly valued in many cultures."
 Ethics: Refers to the systematic study of moral principles, or the field that examines what is right
and wrong. It also can refer to the moral principles themselves, often used in a plural sense to
denote a broader system of beliefs.
o Example: "Medical ethics guide doctors in making difficult decisions."

Conclusion
 Ethic is more individual or specific, relating to particular beliefs or principles.
 Ethics is a broader term that can either refer to the study of moral principles or the collective
moral principles that guide behavior across various contexts.

2. Enumerate and discuss the different branches of ethics


Normative Ethics is focused on the creation of theories that provide general moral rules governing our
behavior, such as Utilitarianism or Kantian Ethics. The normative ethicist, rather than being a football
player, is more like a referee who sets up the rules governing how the game is played.
Metaethics is the study of how we engage in ethics. Thus, the metaethicist has a role more similar to a
football commentator rather than to a referee or player. The metaethicist judges and comments on how the
ethical game is being played rather than advancing practical arguments, or kicking the football,
themselves. For example, the metaethicist might comment on the meaning and appropriateness of ethical
language, just as the football commentator might remark on the appropriateness of particular tactics or
set-piece routines
Applied Ethics is the study of how we should act in specific areas of our lives; how we should deal with
issues like meat-eating, euthanasia or stealing. To use the football analogy, the applied ethicist kicks the
philosophical football around just as a footballer kicks the ball on the field. A good applied ethicist might
score goals and be successful by offering specific arguments that convince us to change our moral views
in a particular corner of our lives.
Consider an analogy put forward by Andrew Fisher (2011). Imagine that ethics is like football.
 The normative ethicist is like a referee interested in the rules governing play. What interests him
is the general theories that govern our moral behavior; how do we work out what is right and
what is wrong?
 The metaethicist is like a football commentator. What interests her is how the very practice of
ethics works. For example, the metaethicist might discuss how people use moral language; or
comment on the psychology of immoral people; or ask whether moral properties exist.
 The Applied Ethicists are like the players. They “get their hands [or feet] dirty”. They take the
general rules of normative ethics and “play” under them. What interests them is how we should
act in specific areas. For example, how should we deal with issues like meat-eating, euthanasia or
stealing? (pp. 1–4)

3. Enumerate the contributions of the following philosophers on ethics.


a. René Descartes
René Descartes: Ethics
This article describes the main topics of Descartes’ ethics through discussion of key primary texts and
corresponding interpretations in the secondary literature. Although Descartes never wrote a treatise
dedicated solely to ethics, commentators have uncovered an array of texts that demonstrate a rich analysis
of virtue, the good, happiness, moral judgment, the passions, and the systematic relationship between
ethics and the rest of philosophy. The following ethical claims are often attributed to Descartes:
the supreme good consists in virtue, which is a firm and constant resolution to use the will
well; virtue presupposes knowledge of metaphysics and natural philosophy; happiness is the supreme
contentment of mind which results from exercising virtue; the virtue of generosity is the key to all the
virtues and a general remedy for regulating the passions; and virtue can be secured even though our first-
order moral judgments never amount to knowledge.
Descartes’ ethics was a neglected aspect of his philosophical system until the late 20 th century. Since then,
standard interpretations of Descartes’ ethics have emerged, debates have ensued, and commentators have
carved out key interpretive questions that anyone must answer in trying to understand Descartes’ ethics.
For example: what kind of normative ethics does Descartes espouse? Are the passions representational or
merely motivational states? At what point in the progress of knowledge can the moral agent acquire and
exercise virtue? Is Descartes’ ethics as systematic as he sometimes seems to envision?

b. Thomas Aquinas
c. John Stuart Mill
The ethical theory of John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) is most extensively articulated in his classical
text Utilitarianism (1861). Its goal is to justify the utilitarian principle as the foundation of morals. This
principle says actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote overall human happiness. So, Mill
focuses on consequences of actions and not on rights nor ethical sentiments.

d. Immanuel Kant
Kant’s most distinctive contribution to ethics was his insistence that one’s actions possess moral worth
only when one does his duty for its own sake. Kant first introduced this idea as something accepted by the
common moral consciousness of human beings and only later tried to show that it is an essential element
of any rational morality. Kant’s claim that this idea is central to the common moral consciousness
expressed, albeit in an explicit and extreme form, a tendency of Judeo-Christian ethics; it also revealed
how much Western ethical consciousness had changed since the time of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
Fisher, A. (2011). Metaethics: An introduction. Oxford: Routledge.
[Link]

Common questions

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The main branches of ethics are normative ethics, metaethics, and applied ethics. Normative ethics involves creating theories to provide moral rules, such as Utilitarianism or Kantian Ethics, and is akin to being a referee setting the rules of a game. Metaethics focuses on how we engage in ethical practices, like a commentator discussing game strategies, and examines the meaning and use of moral language. Applied ethics deals with practical moral questions in specific contexts, similar to players who apply the rules, addressing issues like euthanasia or stealing .

The football analogy clarifies different branches of ethics by comparing their roles to those in a football game. Normative ethicists are likened to referees interested in rules, analogous to general moral theories. Metaethicists are compared to commentators focused on the practice of ethics. Applied ethicists are similar to players implementing rules to tackle practical ethical issues, such as euthanasia and stealing, highlighting their active engagement in moral discussions .

Using a football analogy to describe the practice of ethics helps to illustrate the structure and function of different ethical branches. It depicts normative ethicists as setting the rules (referees), metaethicists as analyzing the playing of the game (commentators), and applied ethicists as actively engaging with moral dilemmas (players). This analogy helps clarify diverse functions, emphasizing the dynamic interactions within ethical practice .

Commentators face challenges in interpreting Descartes’ ethics due to the absence of a dedicated treatise, necessitating inferences from his broader philosophical writings. Key issues include determining the nature of his normative ethics, understanding the role of emotions, and assessing the systematicity of his ethical framework. Scholars must also reconcile his ethics with his broader metaphysical and philosophical ideas .

Immanuel Kant's notion that actions have moral worth only when done out of duty for its own sake marks a significant shift from the virtue ethics of Ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. His emphasis on duty reflects developments in Western ethical consciousness, incorporating Judeo-Christian ethical tendencies and presenting a more structured and rational basis for morality .

John Stuart Mill's utilitarian principle focuses on the consequences of actions rather than inherent rights or moral sentiments, challenging traditional ethics that prioritize duty, intentionality, or intrinsic values. By prioritizing the maximization of happiness and minimizing suffering as the criteria for right actions, it shifts the ethical focus from deontological and right-based frameworks to outcome-based evaluations .

"Ethic" refers to a set of moral principles or a single guiding belief that governs an individual's or group's behavior, emphasizing a particular philosophy or code of conduct. An example would be the ethic of hard work valued in many cultures. In contrast, "ethics" is a more comprehensive term that can refer to the systematic study of moral principles or the collective moral principles guiding behavior across various contexts, like medical ethics guiding doctors .

René Descartes contributed to ethics by proposing that the supreme good consists in virtue, defined as the resolution to use the will well, which presupposes knowledge of other philosophical areas. He emphasized happiness as the contentment resulting from exercising virtue. Descartes highlighted generosity as the key virtue and a remedy for passions. Despite the lack of a dedicated treatise, his writings suggest a systematic relationship between ethics and other philosophical domains .

John Stuart Mill's ethical theory is grounded in Utilitarianism, which assesses the morality of actions based on their consequences, specifically their ability to promote overall human happiness. In contrast, Immanuel Kant's ethics emphasize moral worth in actions performed out of duty for its own sake, highlighting a deontological approach focused on the innate moral duties rather than consequences .

In Descartes’ ethical philosophy, virtue is central and is defined as a firm resolution to use the will well. It is considered the supreme good and crucial for achieving happiness through exercising virtue. Descartes links virtue to knowledge, asserting that it presupposes understanding metaphysics and philosophy. The virtue of generosity is pivotal for regulating passions, indicating its foundational role in his ethical views .

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