4.2 Contribution-of-Moral-thinkers-and-Philosophers-from-India-and-World

Contribution of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers from India and World

2020-10-21 16:48:33

Normative Ethics Aka Prescriptive Ethics

Deals with what practices are right and wrong and our obligations to others and future generation. The study of ethical behaviour.

  1. Virtue Ethics
    • Person based ie it looks at the virtue or moral character of the person carrying out an action instead of what is their ethical duties and rules or consequences of a particular actions.
    • Provides guidance to person as to what is expected of him.
    • Deals with the purpose of Human life, meaning of life, Plato Aristotle.
    • 7 main virtue ethics are chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience, and humility.
    • 4 cardinal virtues Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/virtue.shtml

  1. Consequentialism :
    • Whether something is good or bad depends on its outcomes.
    • end should be right means may or may not, greatest good for greatest no of people.
    • Ethical Egoism + Ethical Altruism + Utilitarianism.
    • Utilitarianism : most good to most number of people
      1. Jeremy Bentham's Gross or Quantitative Utilitarianism - actions are wrong if it produces pain, each man desires his own happiness.
        • 1.1 Deals with maximising happiness for everyone.
      2. Mills Refined or Qualitative U - qualitative nature of pleasures like intellectual pleasure instead of sensual ones.
        • 2.1 Certain pleasures were of greater consequence than others and these higher pleasure could only be recognised by those who have experienced them.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/consequentialism_1.shtml

  1. Deontological or Non Consequential - actions should be right consequences may or may not
    • Kantian Ethical Theory : revolves around duty, what to do in certain situations, right and fair on wider level, Categorical imperative - internal law imposed by conscience
    • Duties listed by WD Ross : tell truth, right the wrongs done to others, act justly, help other, improve oneself, give thanks, avoid injury to others.

  • Plato's concept of virtues - disciple of Socrates, man is social by nature, goodness is in human nature, virtue is knowledge
    • 4 imp virtues - wisdom, Courage, Temperance, Justice
    • 3 keys to moral life is Passion, Spirit, Rationality
  • Aristotelian Concept of Virtue - motives and values are also imp, considers Justice as supreme virtue divides into
    • Distributive - equitable distri of wealth and honour,
    • Remedial - fair transaction among mem of community
      Golden mean of excessive indulgence and excessive repression of desire
  • Moral Relativism - morality is relative to norms of one's culture, no universal moral principle
  • Moral Objectivism - there are universal and objectively valid moral principles that are not related to society
  • Moral Absolutism - certain principles are universal and non-over rideable
  • Moral Realism - real objective and moral facts or truths in universe
  • Moral Subjectivism - moral judgements are only statements of persons feelings or attitudes
  • Moral Emotivism - moral claims are expressions of approval and disapproval, does not provide info about speakers feelings just expressions
  • Moral Prescriptivism - ethical statements are recommendations
  • Ethical/Moral Supernaturalism - Ethics inseparable from religion
  • Moral Intuitionism - good and bad cannot be broken into sub components
  • Hedonism - all human actions guided by pleasure , pleasure is highest good, type of consequentialism, right action produces pleasure, wrong
    • Psychological Hedonism - pleasure is natural object of desire
    • Ethical Hedonism - man ought to seek pleasure, p is proper object of desire, Egoistic Hedonism, Altruistic Hedonism
  • Indian Philosophy
    • Orthodox/ Aastik School, Heterodox/ Nastik School
    • Strong metaphysical phenomena, absolutistic and spiritualistic, 4 Purusharthas - Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha
    • Buddhist Ethics -
      • 5 precepts - Not killing other living beings, not taking the not given, avoid sexual misconduct, avoid false speech, abstain from drink drugs
    • Jain Ethics - Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya/non stealing, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha
    • CharavakaEthics - materialism, atheism, Hedonism, only this world exists, deny Dharma Moksha, physical pleasure is goal of life
  • Gandhian Ethics -
    • On Moral Behaviour - volitional, intentional, universal, practical, selfless, calm, tranquillity, fostering of good habits, chastity, altruism, righteousness
    • On Non Violence - includes truth, fearlessness, harbour no anger, suffer anger of opponent, voluntarily submit, non-retaliation
    • On Economy - earn their own bread through manual labour, wealth should be distributed by society, no violent overthrow, Rich should be trustees of wealth
  • Thomas Hobbes Psychological Egoism - society originates out of self-interest
  • Ayn Rand - Ethical Egoism
  • Feminist Ethics - Carol Gilligan revise reformulate traditional ethics, gendered centred approach