Moral Philosophy,Introduction
Introduction to PhilosophyJason M. Chang
Lecture Outline1. Intro to ethics
2. Moral theory
3. Queen v. Dudley and Stevens
Intro to moral philosophyMorality (or ethics)
• Definition
• Morality vs. the law
Intro to moral philosophyMoral philosophy (aka ethics)
• Definition
• Social science vs. moral philosophy
Intro to moral philosophy
What questions arise when discussing a hospital’s euthanasia policy?
Intro to moral philosophy
Sub-divisions in moral philosophy
o Applied ethics
o Normative ethics
o Metaethics
Moral theory• Trolley problems
o Trolleyo Sumo
• Question
• What makes an act morally right? What makes an act morally wrong?
Moral theory• Moral theory
o Definition
o Features of a moral theory
General
Prescriptive
Moral theory• Types of moral theory
o Consequentialist theories
o Non-consequentialist theories
Moral theory• Moral theories covered in this course
o Consequentialist theories Egoism Utilitarianism
o Non-consequentialist theories Divine command theory Natural law theory Kantianism
The Queen v. Dudley and Stevens
The Queen v. Dudley and StevensFacts:
• May 19, 1884: The English yacht Mignoette sets sail
• Crew = Dudley, Stephens, Brooks, and Parker the cabin boy
• July 5: Mignoette sunk; crew forced onto lifeboat
• Crew has little food and no drinking water
• July 18: Dudley and Stephens kill Parker
• Crew feeds on Parker’s body and blood
The Queen v. Dudley and Stevens
• The issue
Whether Tom Dudley and Edwin Stevens did the morally right thing