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LIBERTY PHIL 201 - PHIL201_Study_Guide_Lesson_22

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PHIL 201STUDY GUIDE: LESSON 22ConsequentialismLesson Overview:In this lesson, we explore the major ethical theories. The first of these is consequentialism. Consequentialism is the view that says the right thing to do is that which produces the best consequences. According to this view, ethics is about achieving good results and therefore an action is judged by the results it produces. For example, lying is wrong if it produces bad results, but is right if it produces good results. We will examine 2 consequentialistic theories in the chapter. The first, egoism, says an action is right if it produces the best consequences for me. The second, utilitarianism, says an action is right if produces the best consequences for all concerned.Tasks:Read Chapters 4 and 5 of Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions, “Ethical Egoism” and “Utilitarianism.” As you do, consider the following questions and points:- List some modern examples of egoism."eat, drink, and be merry!"putting physical health and appearance before all else"Live it up""Go for the gusto" (pg 34)- Explain the leap from psychological fact to ethical ought in psychological egoism.The ethical egoist argues that if people are motivated by self-interest anyway, then they ought to pursue their own good as deliberately, and effectively as they can. (pg. 35-36)- Problems with psychological egoism.psychological egoism-all people are motivated by self-interestProblems: 1. One cannot draw a normative conclusion directly from a descriptive premisealone2. We must question the status quo (is it altogether true) (does it tell the whole story?) (pg. 36-37)- Butler’s argument against psychological egoism.While I do desire my own inner happiness in general, motivation is tied in specific cases to particular external objects.(Ex: don't want food for the sake of my own happiness in general but because I need it to go on working and serving others.) (pg. 37)- Contrast the hedonic paradox with true self-love.Hedonic paradox is the pursuit of pleasure for its own sake. (pg. 37)True self-love does not conflict with loving people and things for their own sake. (pg. 38)- Know the distinction between psychological egoism and ethical egoism.--psychological egoism- The philosophy that states that humans are always motivated by self-interest. --Ethical egoism-The belief that people should act only for their own self-interest.- Explain Holmes’s argument for why egoism cannot succeed as a viable ethical theory: If natural laws do hold our egoism in check, then psychological egoism does not have thelast word after all, and the ethical egoist's basis is lost. (pg. 41) --individual egoist, wanting others to serve themselves, would advise us to seek our own good=universal egoismPage 1 of 4PHIL 201- Why does individual egoism reduce to universal egoism? Self-interest can indeed get out of hand and become destructive to others. (pg. 41) --if each seeks his own good, so too does the universal egoist, and we are back to the individual egoist- Why would universal egoism collapse into anarchy?--goods will conflict=everyone against everyone (pg 41)- Explain Holmes’s 4 conclusions concerning ethical egoism.1. While a legitimate psychological self-interested is assumed in Scripture, it is balanced by ethical concern for others2. Egoism view people much more individualistic than Scripture. In the Bible, people are considered relational.3. The doctrine of human depravity must be balanced by the doctrine of common grace4. Neither egoism nor altruism suffices to describe an overall biblical ethic. (pg. 42)- List 2 reasons utilitarianism is probably the most popular ethical theory.1. It still appeals to self-interest in that most of us stand to benefit by the maximizing of good consequences for society at large.2. originally addressed to social policy as a basis for penal reform and for legislation. Also of keen interest in economics (pg. 43)- Explain Holmes’s non-consequential argument against utilitarianism.--the quality of consequence is the decisive thing, not just the quantity--utilitarian wants to maximize consequences of a certain kind--deciding what consequences to regard is a nonconsequential judgmentA chain of consequences that has no end is absurd. A decision is needed as which set of consequences to prefer, a decision that cannot be based entirely on consequences because that would take us into infinite regress. A non-sequential decision needs to be the kind of consequence we are to seek. (pg. 44)- Know the distinction between Bentham and Mill.Bentham: hedonistic view that took the good to be pleasure. He chooses pleasure because everyone seeks pleasure. "is-ought" problemMill: not a purely consequential matter, but appeals to the dignity and desirability of whatis distinctive about humans. (pg. 44-45)- What are the problems with quantifying pleasure?Hard to make decisions about what consequences to weigh and how much weight to give each. How to objectively evaluate is a dubious assumption and causes disagreements overwhat is really "good". (pg. 46)Utilitarianism is a hard ethic for everyone.- Explain the “simplified” problem of distributive justice.Unequal distribution gets extremely unequal and which is morally better?Raises questions about distributive justice and equal rights. (pg. 47)- Explain the inherent conflict between utilitarian distributive justice and equal rights.What utilitarianism lacks is a principle of disruptive justice that us not subject to and cannot be manipulated by the principle of utility (pg 47-48)Page 2 of 4PHIL 201- What does the empiricism that supports utilitarianism end up saying about the value of persons?--a bundle of experiences, both actual and possible--value of persons is measured in terms of people's experiencesIf people are more than collections of experiences and of physical causes and effects, and if I am also a responsible, moral gent, then respecting the integrity of persons, both myself and others, is important in itself. This is NOT just a matter of consequences, but also of motives and actions and the value of persons. (pg. 49)- How does the concept of moral integrity criticize utilitarianism?Moral integrity is involved in how we treat others. he is concerned not only about the beneficial or adverse consequences of my actions but also about being just.Utilitarian concerns himself only with the consequences. (pg. 49)- Contrast hypothetical and categorical imperatives.hypothetical- related to whatever


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LIBERTY PHIL 201 - PHIL201_Study_Guide_Lesson_22

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