What are We

Talking About?

What is Morality?
Rachels Chapter 1
 General moral principle…or
not?
Hurting a friend is wrong.
The Bible says that thou shall not
kill.
Shoplifting might get you into
trouble.
Stealing is ok.
Helping others helps ourselves.
Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you.
Honour thy father and thy mother.
 General moral principle…or
not?
Hurting a friend is wrong. No
The Bible says that thou shall not Yes
kill.
Shoplifting might get you into No
trouble.
Stealing is ok. No
Helping others helps ourselves. No
Do unto others as you would have Yes
them do unto you.
Honour thy father and thy mother. Yes
 So, back to our arguments...

Premise 1 states the case (the way the world is)

Premise 2 appends a moral principle
------------------------------------------
The conclusion follows from the interplay
Moral arguments are arguments with a
moral judgment as the conclusion

We describe the case: the way the world

is
We append a moral principle
------------------------------------------
We conclude based on the interplay
1.1 The Problem of Definition
“Moral philosophy is the attempt to
achieve a systematic understanding of the
nature of morality and what it requires of
us…

Socrates: We are discussing no small

matter, but how we ought to live
 1.2 Baby
Theresa.....Anencephaly
1.2 Baby Theresa dilemma...

Parental request: allow her organs to be

harvested to benefit other newborns.

Legal resolution: "Florida law does not

allow the removal of organs until the donor
is dead."
Moral arguments are arguments with a
moral judgment as the conclusion
The parents:

 Transplanting Baby Theresa’s organs would

benefit other children without harming her.
 If we can benefit someone, without harming
anyone else, we ought to do so.
--------------------------------------
 Therefore, we ought to transplant the organs.
Moral arguments are arguments with a
moral judgment as the conclusion
Anonymous ethicists:

 Transplanting Baby Theresa’s organs would be

using her as means for another’s ends.
 It is wrong to use people as means.
--------------------------------------
 Therefore, we ought not transplant the organs.
Moral arguments are arguments with a
moral judgment as the conclusion
One more argument:

Taking Baby Theresa's organs would be killing

her to save another.
It is wrong to kill one person to save another.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Therefore, we ought not to take her organs for

transplantation.
On the Baby Theresa dilemma...
Dr. Norman Fost, director of the University
of Wisconsin's medical ethics program:

 “The problem is almost entirely one of a slippery

slope...”
 “We have to be careful who we take
organs from, because there are a lot
more than anencephalic infants out there.”
On the Baby Theresa dilemma...
Dr. John Fletcher, director of the University
of Virginia's Center for Biomedical Ethics:

 “There's a refusal to accept the reality of death

at work in this...
 “...and an overvitalistic understanding of
personhood, one dependent on biological
functions."
On the Baby Theresa dilemma...
Dr. John Fletcher, director of the University
of Virginia's Center for Biomedical Ethics:

 “...what makes us human is what goes on

upstairs in the brain, not downstairs in
the brain.”
 1.3 Conjoined Twins
• Siamese Twins

• Chang and Eng

• Born in 1811
• Travelled with the circus
• Married two sisters
• Fathered 21 children
• Died in 1874
1:3 Jodie and Mary
Jodie and Mary

• Pro-separation:

Separating the twins will save the one; otherwise

both will die.
When it's a choice between saving one of two
people or letting both die, we should save the one.
----------------------------------------------------------
:. The twins should be separated.
Jodie and Mary

Anti-separation:

Mary is an innocent human being and the

separation will kill her.
It's wrong to kill an innocent human being.
-------------------------------------------
:. The twins shouldn't be separated.
1.4 The Latimer Case
 Mercy or Murder?
12 year old Tracy
Latimer, killed by
her father in 1993

Quadriplegic and
severely mentally
disabled, she
functioned at the
level of a three-
month old and was
in constant pain…
1.4 The Latimer Case

Argument against Latimer’s action:

Killing Tracy was discrimination against the

handicapped.
It is wrong to discriminate against the
handicapped.
--------------------------------------
:. Tracy's father did wrong: he shouldn't have
killed her.
1.4 The Latimer Case

Rachels’ response:

Discrimination against the handicapped?

It’s discrimination only if there is no good reason

for the different treatment....
1.4 The Latimer Case

Euthanizing Tracy was "opening the doors to

other people to decide who should live and who
should die."
It is wrong to do things which would open the
doors...
------------------------------------------------------
:. Euthanizing Tracy was wrong and shouldn't
have been done.
 1.5 Reason and Impartiality

1. Moral judgments must be backed by good

reasons.

2. Morality requires the impartial consideration of

each individual’s interests.
1.5 Reason and Impartiality

We describe the case: the way the world is

We append a moral principle
------------------------------------------
We conclude based on the interplay
Impartiality...and emotion...
Impartiality...and emotion...
Impartiality...and emotion...
Impartiality...and emotion...
The morally right thing to do...

is always whatever there are the best

reasons for doing...
 Jane Addams,
founder of Hull House

The essence of
immorality is the
tendency to make an
exception of myself.
 1.6 The Minimum Conception of
Morality

The effort to guide

one’s conduct by
reason...to do what
there are the best
reasons for doing...
James Rachels
 Suicide and Euthanasia
What is the difference?
What good reasons are there in favour?
What good reasons are there against?

http://exitinternational.net/
 Ethics in the news:

Globe and Mail

Sept. 28, 2011

Ontario's 'Baby
Joseph' dies at
home after sparking
fierce end-of-life
ethical debate
 Attendance Question
Your name
Your year in school
Your major

Where do you want to

be in 10 years?