Ethics

• natural moral law is act centred and the key thinker is aquinas who focuses on summa theological which is the innate rule that good is to be done and evil avoided
• aquinas highlights the 5 primary precepts that are certain and then from those come secondary precepts which are more flexible
• primary precepts in natural law include = reproduction, living in an ordered society, preservation of innocent life, worship god and educate children

  secondary precepts that can be derived include = no contraception, no abortions, not stealing etc
• natural law highlights two types of virtues

  • cardinal = can be achieved by humans = justice, courage, temperance (self control) and prudence (cautious)
  • theological = given to humans by gods grace = love, hope and faith
• aquinas also differentiates between certain acts/goods

  • real good = donating to charity
  • apparent good = adultery = short term pleasure long term pain
  • interior act = donating to help
  • exterior act = donating to charity to look good
• natural law is part of the hierarchy of laws

  1. eternal law = from god
  2. divine law = revealed eg 10 commandments
  3. natural moral law = human reason
  4. human law = legal system
• the doctrine of double effect in natural law considers proportions and intent and has 4 conditions = good act, means end, good intent, more good than bad

  eg. saving mothers life but kills baby in process
• what is proportionism in natural law = more liberal version eg. a starving man can steal
• strengths of natural moral law

  • set rules in times of uncertainty
  • focuses on good
  • can be adapted more liberally eg. proportionalism

  weaknesses

  • not flexible at all
  • can lead to immoral outcomes eg. homophobic
• situation ethics is act centred and the key thinker is Jospeh fletcher who uses agaepic calculus to find what is most loving
• situation ethics focuses on 4 working principles

  • pragmatism = practical
  • relevatism
  • personalism = people come before laws
  • positivism = what promotes the most love
• situation ethics has 6 fundamental principles

  • love is the only norm
  • love only is always good
  • love and justice are the same
  • only the end justifies the means
  • love is not liking
  • love decides there and then
• strengths of situation ethics

  • based on promoting agape
  • considers contact and can me adapted to modern
  • promotes individual autonomy

  weaknesses

  • subjective view on most loving act
  • large responsibility on individual
  • atheists may reject idea
• virtue ethics is agent centred and the key thinker is Aristotle who believes our Ergon (function) is to strive for eudaemonia = pleasure and happiness
• virtue ethics also highlights the hierarchy of souls

  • plants - vegetative - nutrition and growth
  • animals - sensitive - nutrition and growth and movement
  • humans - rational - nutrition and growth and movement and reason
• only voluntary actions can be virtuous as a virtue is a valued character trait
• in virtue ethics the doctrine of the mean = golden mean = virtues lie between to extremes called vices = excess or deficiency = relative to the individual
• two types of virtues in virtue ethics include

  intelectual virtues like maths

  moral virtues like courage
• strengths of virtue ethics

  • holistic and considers multiple factors
  • teleological focus on eudaemonia and promoting good
  • agent centred and flexible

  weaknesses

  • subjective to the individual
  • environment likely ignores and animals seen as lesser
  • outdated as Aristotle was a privileged male in greek times
• natural moral law view on theft

  goes against living in and ordered society and worshiping god, also goes against cardinal virtue of justice and secondary precept do not steal

  doctrine of double effect allows if value overtakes disvalue
• situation ethics view on theft

  can only be answered in reference to scenarios

  eg. stealing a book from the library = deprive other students = not loving

  eg. stealing medication to save life
• virtue ethics states that theft us a base act meaning it can't be dine well or not well = no way to be virtuous
• in natural moral law lying violates the primary precepts of living in an ordered society and worshiping god. also violates the secondary precept not to lies

  a lie can be allowed if it is necessary eg. a misleading truth like if a mad axeman is looking for your friend
• in situation ethics there is no intrinsic right or wrong

  eg. innocent girl going to marry syphalitic man = lying is unjust

  eg. nurses lie to schizophrenic patients = allowed = pragmatic and follows agape
• for virtue ethics lying is mostly wrong as it goes against the values of honesty and justice however if a mad axeman asks where your friend is then the virtues become balanced eg loyalty vs honesty, lying becomes virtuous
• natural moral law strictly state no abortion as life begins from conception it goes against the sanctity of life and primary precepts of procreation and preserving innocent life

  doctrine of double effect allows it to a certain extent = side effect of saving mums life
• for situation ethics and abortion there are no intrinsic rights or wrongs as long as love is best served

  eg. lady has had many abortions and wants another

  eg. lady is going to have a defective baby = practical and most loving for child and mum
• for virtue ethics abortions can be allowed before signs of an individual form (potentiality principle)

  aborting baby to save money = callous and golden mean would be adoption

  baby destined to be very sick = virtuous to abort as kind
• natural moral law rejects any form of euthanasia as "worst evil is not pain but death itself"

  it is apparent good = short help but no long term gratification

  breaks primary precept of preserving life and worshipping god
• situation ethics would allow euthanasia if it distributes the most love = personalism and pragmatism eg. Jim will die in 8 weeks but in pain - allow euthanasia
• virtue ethics would allow euthanasia if it is the golden mean based on circumstance = if eudaemonia can't be achieved what is the point in living = however would enduring the pain show virtues of courage
• natural moral law can allow capital punishment as the primary precept highlights preservation of innocent life and a criminal may disrupt ordered society

  also divine law = an eye for an eye

  legitimate as long as its done by a worker of the state and not an individual eg god let the Israelites kill their enemies
• virtue ethics allow capital punishment if done for justice = virtuous
• situation ethics decide on capital punishment based on what love demands

  allow - love and justice are the same

  not allow - love is not liking
• natural moral law reject embryo research and cloning as it goes against the primary precept to worship god and goes agains gods image

  designer babies go against an ordered society as may cause a class divide
• situation ethics are not against embryo research but the good must outweigh the bad = designer babies for health reasons only and cloning for cheap labour is not allowed
• in virtue ethics embryo research is based on reason = to cure disease and help wider society reach eudaemonia is allowed but to give It to science to save money = callous and cowardess
• natural morally has little to no objection on blood sports as aquinas believes animals can be used as humans see fit eg dog fighting

  it is more modernly believed that animals should be cared for as god created them
• situation ethics rejects blood sports as we should extend agape to animals as it may degrade humans to other forms of violence
• in virtue ethics blood sports is a greek past time so Aristotle approved

  scuten argues some show virtues eg bull fighting show courage - inferior courage?

  hurt house argues is shows a vice of callousness