Moral Philosophy: Crash Course
Moral philosophy is the study of right and wrong conduct. It is also sometimes called ethics. Philosophers debate what is good or bad behaviour, and why we should act in certain ways. Many people think that philosophical questions about morality are difficult or impossible to answer. Some philosophers think that morality cannot be derived from any one approach, but must be considered from all three perspectives. Debates about moral philosophy can be both fascinating and frustrating! But ultimately, asking these types of question can help us to live better lives. As a discipline, moral philosophy can be divided into three main branches; meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.
Meta Ethics
Meta ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of ethical judgment and the meaning of ethical terms. It is distinct from normative ethics, which deals with how one ought to act, and applied ethics, which deals with specific ethical issues. Meta ethics is primarily concerned with the question of what it means to say that something is “good” or “bad.” Are moral judgments simply expressions of personal preference, or do they correspond to objective facts about the world? This is known as the question of moral realism, and it has been debated by philosophers for centuries. While there is no consensus on the answer to this question, meta ethics remains an important area of philosophical inquiry.
Normative Ethics
Normative ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with how we ought to live. In other words, it’s concerned with the question of what is good or bad, right or wrong. There are three major schools of thought within normative ethics: consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics.
Deontological theories of ethics are those that focus on the intentions or character of the agent rather than on the consequences of the action. Immanuel Kant’s ethical theory is an example of a deontological theory. Kant believed that we should always act in such a way that we can will our actions to become universal law. In other words, we should only do things that we could reasonably expect everyone else to do in the same situation.
Consequentialism is the view that the morality of an action is determined by its consequences. The classic example of a consequentialist ethical theory is utilitarianism, which holds that the morally right action is the one that maximises happiness for all people affected by the action.
Virtue ethics is an approach to ethics that focuses on developing good character traits, such as honesty, courage, and compassion. Aristotle’s ethical theory is an example of a virtue ethics theory. Aristotle believed that there are two types of virtues: those that relate to the intellect, and those that relate to the emotions. The intellectual virtues include wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. The emotional virtues include courage, temperance, and justice. In order for a person to live a good life, he or she must develop all of these virtues. Aristotle believed that the best way to develop virtue was to imitate the virtuous behaviour of others. He also believed that virtue could be taught through education and training. As a result, Aristotle’s virtue ethics has had a significant influence on educational philosophy.
Applied Ethics
Applied ethics is the study of ethical questions that arise in specific contexts, such as the workplace, the doctor-patient relationship, or environmental conservation. It is often contrasted with abstract ethical theories, which focus on general principles rather than specific situations. When faced with an ethical dilemma, an applied ethicist will typically consider the consequences of different courses of action before making a decision. For example, a business ethicist may weigh the pros and cons of implementing a new environmental policy, taking into account the financial cost, the impact on employees, and the effect on the company’s reputation. Applied ethics is a dynamic and interdisciplinary field that draws on philosophy, psychology, sociology, and other disciplines to shed light on ethical issues in the real world.
