Hi

There will be two pages paper about Ethics in Western Philosophy.

The book link is

https://b-ok.cc/md5/F507A99572E3EC5B261AEEB67D9B8EC9

Here is what my professor said

This week, we are reading the seventh chapter in the textbook on Ethics. The focus of this section is on the major theories of Ethics in Western Philosophy.

First, let’s think a little bit about the topic of this section. Ethics is traditionally the philosophical study of what is morally right or wrong. Applied Ethics is a guide for human behavior in situations that arise in daily life. So, in Ethics, we will explore several different approaches and theories of how to determine right from wrong, and then, given those distinctions, how to determine appropriate behavior. As you’ll see, there are a wide range of viewpoints. Many of the Ethical views have correspondence to other fields of Philosophy such as Political/Social Philosophy, Human Nature, and Metaphysics.

The Ethics chapter begins with a difficulty that Ethicists often encounter. It is the question of whether Ethics are relative or absolute. An Ethical relativist point of view holds that Ethics vary from culture to culture and are dependent on the cultural features of that group. An Absolutist view of Ethics says that right and wrong are always the same and should be applied in the same way at all times in all situations.

The next distinction found in the text is the difference between consequentialist and nonconsequentialist Ethics. Consequentialist Ethics are systems where consequences determine right from wrong: good consequences (results, effects on the world) create a good Ethic, bad consequences equal a bad Ethic. Nonconsequentialist Ethics say that right and wrong are fixed and consequences don’t effect the distinction between right and wrong.

These four terms create a range for us to gauge the different ethical systems. As tools for a study of Ethics, it’s useful to think in terms of where a view is on these two scales: Relative/Absolute and Consequentialist/Nonconsequentialist. As you read the various Philosophical views, you may want to consider where that theory is on these two scales. It can help your study and understanding of the content.

Please read each ethical theory carefully and think about how they apply to your own life, as well as day to day events you hear about. Here’s what I LOVE about ethics: it is actually the foundation of your entire life and will be for all time!! Seriously!! How you choose to spend your time, what kind of work you do, what you eat, how you behave towards other people and all other beings, what you use on a day to day basis, every little detail of how you show up in the world is, at bottom, an ethical decision. A simple example: do you brush past people in a crowd or offer to be of service in some way to someone in your space? Consider that neither is really right or wrong. Theories are simply other people’s ideas of what is morally correct in a given situation. Many of them are useful, but ultimately, ethics is about you with you and how you choose to be as a person.

WORK FOR THIS WEEK

Two-page paper on the following topic. I will not be posting a Discussion thread for this week.

Consider a typical day in your current life. List at least a dozen of your basic activities and state the ethical choices underlying those activities. Examples of activities include brushing your teeth, procrastinating an onerous chore, cleaning your space, taking your dog for a walk, studying, going to work, doing something for a friend, preparing a meal, arguing with your girlfriend or mom, playing music, etc. Think about what ethical theory or theories you may be using to make that choice. Note what theory or concept you may be utilizing and explain why. Use the theories in the text as well as ethical concepts you may be more familiar with already. Also think about if you are following your own ethical code or acting against it. Usually, we humans engage in a bit of both. Consider the reasons for why you are making the choices you are making. Any changes needed?

For instance, my ethical code requests that all life be treated without violence. In the realm of food, to be in alignment with my ethics, I would choose to eat only foods that “are given” to me, as opposed to being killed in order to be eaten. Yes, this is possible. Think about the many plants that shed their fruits, nuts, seeds, etc. So, I would be eating non-violently, which is a step beyond even veganism. Do I eat this way? No. Why not? What other ethical considerations may be coming into play that override that? Am I giving into laziness, appetite, etc? Is that ok with me? Should I reconsider my original ethical stance regarding food? I could delve into this topic for myself from a myriad of angles.

Do you see how complicated this can get? This is a good thing! We are gloriously free beings that have an astounding array of choice at our disposal in every moment! It is my opinion that we have a sacred responsibility to choose with awareness, authenticity, clarity, and ethics in order to be decent world citizens and masters of our own lives.

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Please ask me if you have any questions