1 ethics chapter one what is the purpose of morality?

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EthicsEthicsChapter OneChapter One

What is the Purpose of Morality?What is the Purpose of Morality?

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What is Moral?What is Moral?– Webster says, “relating to, dealing with or Webster says, “relating to, dealing with or

capable of making the distinction between right capable of making the distinction between right and wrong in conduct”and wrong in conduct”

What is Morality?What is Morality?– The character of being in accord with the The character of being in accord with the

principles or standards of right conduct principles or standards of right conduct – Principles of right and wrong conductPrinciples of right and wrong conduct

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What is Morality for?What is Morality for?– Is it to enable us to reach our goals in a socially Is it to enable us to reach our goals in a socially

acceptable way?acceptable way?– Is it to enable us to resolve conflicts of interests Is it to enable us to resolve conflicts of interests

fairly?fairly?– Is it to develop certain kinds of positive Is it to develop certain kinds of positive

character?character?– Is it to promote human happiness?Is it to promote human happiness?– Is it to enable society to survive?Is it to enable society to survive?

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– The significance of the book is that it illuminates The significance of the book is that it illuminates

the need for and purpose of ethical codesthe need for and purpose of ethical codes Ralph is democratically chosen as the leader Ralph is democratically chosen as the leader

and the leader has limited powers of the and the leader has limited powers of the group and appropriate rules are agreed upongroup and appropriate rules are agreed upon

They also recognize the necessity of They also recognize the necessity of substantive and procedural rulessubstantive and procedural rules

There are symbols of authority (the conch)There are symbols of authority (the conch)

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– What do you believe is the number one priority?What do you believe is the number one priority?

Shelter?Shelter? Food?Food? Fire?Fire?

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– Soon this is testedSoon this is tested

The competition for power and statusThe competition for power and status–Ralph and Jack vie for leadership and a Ralph and Jack vie for leadership and a

bitter rivalry ensuesbitter rivalry ensues Failure of public policyFailure of public policy

–Challenges of leadershipChallenges of leadership–Speaking without the conch Speaking without the conch –Then the conch is destroyedThen the conch is destroyed

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Neglect of Social ResponsibilitiesNeglect of Social Responsibilities–Jack’s hunters refuse to help build sheltersJack’s hunters refuse to help build shelters–Freeloading soon becomes a common Freeloading soon becomes a common

phenomenonphenomenon–Neglect causes the fires to burn out, which Neglect causes the fires to burn out, which

results in not being rescued results in not being rescued

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Escalating ViolenceEscalating Violence–Breaking glassesBreaking glasses–Killing of pigsKilling of pigs–Mob behavior when killing pigsMob behavior when killing pigs–Painted faces creates deindividuationPainted faces creates deindividuation–Sodomy of pigsSodomy of pigs–Killing of humansKilling of humans

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– Some Moral BehaviorSome Moral Behavior

Piggy willingly give up his glasses to start the Piggy willingly give up his glasses to start the firefire

But, since Piggy did not hunt should he be But, since Piggy did not hunt should he be allowed to eatallowed to eat

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– Things Begin to DegenerateThings Begin to Degenerate

The fire, symbol of hope, is left unattendedThe fire, symbol of hope, is left unattended The conch, the symbol of orderly governance The conch, the symbol of orderly governance

is destroyed is destroyed Ralph’s authority is challenged & undermined Ralph’s authority is challenged & undermined

which destroys the rational procedureswhich destroys the rational procedures Piggy’s glasses are stolen with impunity Piggy’s glasses are stolen with impunity

(Jack knows he can’t do anything about it)(Jack knows he can’t do anything about it)

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Still Piggy asks Jack to act morallyStill Piggy asks Jack to act morally– I ask for my glasses back not as a favorI ask for my glasses back not as a favor– I don’t ask for Jack to a sportI don’t ask for Jack to a sport– I don’t ask because Jack is strongI don’t ask because Jack is strong– I ask because it is the right thing to doI ask because it is the right thing to do– ““Give me my glasses, because you have Give me my glasses, because you have

to”to”

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When Ralph and Jack fight do they both When Ralph and Jack fight do they both know what they are doing is morally wrong?know what they are doing is morally wrong?

–Each one taunts the other, wanting the Each one taunts the other, wanting the other one to make the first moveother one to make the first move

Ralph tells Jack he has to give Piggy back his Ralph tells Jack he has to give Piggy back his glasses and reasons Piggy can’t see without glasses and reasons Piggy can’t see without them (moral reasoning?) them (moral reasoning?)

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Piggy again attempts to reason morallyPiggy again attempts to reason morally– Isn’t it better to be sensible like Ralph, than to Isn’t it better to be sensible like Ralph, than to

be all painted up?be all painted up?– Isn’t it better to have rules and agree than to Isn’t it better to have rules and agree than to

hunt and kill?hunt and kill?– Isn’t it better to have law and rescue than Isn’t it better to have law and rescue than

hunting and breaking things?hunting and breaking things?–How do they react? How do they react?

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How could they morally justify the deaths?How could they morally justify the deaths?–More deaths?More deaths?–Would Jack stop at nothing to get what he Would Jack stop at nothing to get what he

wanted (the death of Ralph and power)?wanted (the death of Ralph and power)?–Was Jack willing to destroy the whole Was Jack willing to destroy the whole

island to get what he wanted?island to get what he wanted?

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– What is the main idea about morality that you What is the main idea about morality that you

get out of this selectionget out of this selection– When Piggy morally reasons with Jack to get When Piggy morally reasons with Jack to get

his glasses back what is Piggy presupposing?his glasses back what is Piggy presupposing? What is Jack’s response?What is Jack’s response? What is Jack’s response to being called a What is Jack’s response to being called a

thief?thief?

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– What is Ralph’s understanding of morality?What is Ralph’s understanding of morality?

What is Piggy’s?What is Piggy’s? What is Jack’s?What is Jack’s?

– What is the significance of the conch and how What is the significance of the conch and how do you interpret its destruction?do you interpret its destruction?

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On the Nature & Purpose of Morality?On the Nature & Purpose of Morality?

““The Coral Island”The Coral Island”– What happened on Coral Island?What happened on Coral Island?

How is it the same as the “Lord of the Flies”How is it the same as the “Lord of the Flies”–UtopiaUtopia

How is it different than the “Lord of the Flies”How is it different than the “Lord of the Flies”–Jack overthrows Ralph Jack overthrows Ralph –Jack overthrows the humane rulesJack overthrows the humane rules–Jack hunts Ralph like a pigJack hunts Ralph like a pig

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On the Nature & Purpose of Morality? On the Nature & Purpose of Morality?




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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– The theme is to trace the defects of society The theme is to trace the defects of society

back to the defects of human natureback to the defects of human nature– The moral is that the shape of a society must The moral is that the shape of a society must

depend on the ethical nature of the individual depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not only any political system however and not only any political system however apparently logical or respectableapparently logical or respectable

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– A delegation starts out hunting pigs for meat A delegation starts out hunting pigs for meat

and they enjoy the excitement, the violence, the and they enjoy the excitement, the violence, the bloody destruction of the pig …bloody destruction of the pig …

– The children painted themselves with colored The children painted themselves with colored mudmud

– They then kill anyone in their way without They then kill anyone in their way without remorseremorse

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– They symbolically kill the symbols of religion They symbolically kill the symbols of religion

(Simon) and philosophy (Piggy) which opens (Simon) and philosophy (Piggy) which opens the gates to hellthe gates to hell

– The glasses are a symbol of our misuse of The glasses are a symbol of our misuse of technology to spoil the environment and our technology to spoil the environment and our ability to create weapons that will lead to global ability to create weapons that will lead to global suicide suicide

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The “Lord of the Flies”The “Lord of the Flies”– Coleen Zoller believes the “Lord of the Flies” is Coleen Zoller believes the “Lord of the Flies” is

a very male booka very male book Zoller believe women would act differentlyZoller believe women would act differently Women would stress cooperation and caring Women would stress cooperation and caring

for one anotherfor one another

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Why Do We Need Morality?Why Do We Need Morality? Hobbes’s AccountHobbes’s Account

– Nature has made us basically equal in physical Nature has made us basically equal in physical and mental abilityand mental ability

– Each of us has the ability to harm, even kill the Each of us has the ability to harm, even kill the other either by ourselves or w/ the help of other either by ourselves or w/ the help of othersothers

– We all want to attain our goals, food, shelter, We all want to attain our goals, food, shelter, security, power, wealth…security, power, wealth…

– These two facts, equal ability to harm and the These two facts, equal ability to harm and the desire to attain our goals lead to an unstable desire to attain our goals lead to an unstable state state

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Why Do We Need Morality?Why Do We Need Morality?

Hobbes’s AccountHobbes’s Account– Equality of ability gives use the hope of attaining Equality of ability gives use the hope of attaining

our goalsour goals– If two people want the same object, they can’t If two people want the same object, they can’t

both possess the same object, so they become both possess the same object, so they become enemies and they want to subdue or destroy enemies and they want to subdue or destroy each othereach other

– What are most fights in high school about? What are most fights in high school about? (crime, jealousy) (crime, jealousy)

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Hobbes’s AccountHobbes’s Account– So, we exchange some of our liberty for a social So, we exchange some of our liberty for a social

contractcontract We elect a rulerWe elect a ruler Rules are set for us to followRules are set for us to follow Rules are enforcedRules are enforced

– Within this contract is moralityWithin this contract is morality Where there is no enforceable law, there is Where there is no enforceable law, there is

no right nor wrongno right nor wrong

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Hobbes’s AccountHobbes’s Account– So, morality is a form of social controlSo, morality is a form of social control– We all opt for an enforceable set of rules and We all opt for an enforceable set of rules and

are most are better off than if we had no rulesare most are better off than if we had no rules The “Cold War” keeps us all in fearThe “Cold War” keeps us all in fear Without morality our existence would be an Without morality our existence would be an

unbearable hellunbearable hell

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The Purpose of MoralityThe Purpose of Morality– Morality consists of a set of rules which if Morality consists of a set of rules which if

followed by nearly everyone will promote the followed by nearly everyone will promote the flourishing of nearly everyoneflourishing of nearly everyone

– These rules restrict our freedom, but only in These rules restrict our freedom, but only in order to promote greater freedom and well order to promote greater freedom and well beingbeing

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The Purpose of MoralityThe Purpose of Morality– To keep society from falling apartTo keep society from falling apart– To ameliorate human sufferingTo ameliorate human suffering– To promote human flourishing To promote human flourishing – To resolve conflicts of interest in just and To resolve conflicts of interest in just and

orderly waysorderly ways– To assign praise and blame, reward the good To assign praise and blame, reward the good

and punish the guiltyand punish the guilty

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On the State of NatureOn the State of Nature– Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

Hobbes argues that people are all egoists Hobbes argues that people are all egoists who always act in their own self interest, to who always act in their own self interest, to obtain gratification and avoid harmobtain gratification and avoid harm

It is in our self interest to make a contract to It is in our self interest to make a contract to keep to a minimal morality of respecting keep to a minimal morality of respecting human life keeping covenants made and human life keeping covenants made and obeying the laws of the societyobeying the laws of the society

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Hobbes proposed a strong sovereign or Hobbes proposed a strong sovereign or government to impose severe penalties on government to impose severe penalties on those who disobey the lawsthose who disobey the laws

What does it say about mankind when he What does it say about mankind when he rides armed, when he locks his doors, when rides armed, when he locks his doors, when he locks his chestshe locks his chests

Isn’t this an accusation by actions?Isn’t this an accusation by actions?

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The Right of Nature-the liberty each man has The Right of Nature-the liberty each man has to use his own power as he will himself for to use his own power as he will himself for the preservation of his own naturethe preservation of his own nature

Liberty-the absence of external impedimentsLiberty-the absence of external impediments Law of Nature- a general rule found out by Law of Nature- a general rule found out by

reason that a man is forbidden to do that reason that a man is forbidden to do that

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Law of the Gospel-whatsoever you require Law of the Gospel-whatsoever you require that others should do to you, that do ye unto that others should do to you, that do ye unto them them

There must be some coercive power to There must be some coercive power to compel men equally to the performance of compel men equally to the performance of their covenants, by the terror of some their covenants, by the terror of some punishment greater than the benefit they punishment greater than the benefit they expect by the breach of their covenantexpect by the breach of their covenant

1 ethics chapter one what is the purpose of morality?

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