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Ethics

Ethics. Ethics. The branch of philosophy that deals with morals, or principles of right and wrong. Subjective vs. Objective. Subjective (adj.) – A matter of personal taste or opinion. Objective (adj.) – A matter of fact.

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Ethics

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  1. Ethics

  2. Ethics • The branch of philosophy that deals with morals, or principles of right and wrong.

  3. Subjective vs. Objective • Subjective (adj.) – A matter of personal taste or opinion. • Objective (adj.) – A matter of fact. • Subjective (adj.) – Dependent on the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather than the object of thought. • Objective (adj.) – Independent of the mind; belonging to the object of thought rather than the thinking subject.

  4. Principle No. 1 • Disagreement does not lead to subjectivity. People may disagree on the distance between the earth and the moon, but there is one correct measurement.

  5. Principle No. 2 • To say that something is subjective is to say that nobody is right or wrong—people just view the object differently. • Subjective opinions are not binding on others. It would be like trying to correct someone’s taste in ice cream or music.

  6. Which one is it? • Pistachio nut ice cream tastes good. • Arsenic is poisonous. • Water is essential to life. • Abstract painting is not art. • Country music is entertaining. • Alcohol is intoxicating.

  7. Which one is it? • Eating with one’s hands is rude. • Smoking marijuana is wrong. • My podium exists. • Slavery is wrong. • Math is boring. • Stealing food from a starving child is wrong. • Torturing and raping innocent people is evil.

  8. Possible Positions • All morality is subjective. • Objective morals exist. • One cannot know. • My judgment is suspended, or “I’m still thinking about it.”

  9. Subjectivism • “There is no physical evidence for objective morals, and if there is no physical evidence for something, then it cannot be objectively true.” • This statement refutes itself, because it fails to pass its own standard.

  10. Cultural Relativism • Various cultures have different views on X. • If various cultures have different views on something, then no view is objectively true. • Therefore no view on X is objectively true.

  11. Socialization • Humans are taught to believe X from an early age. • If humans are taught to believe something from an early age, then it cannot be objectively true. • Therefore no view on X is objectively true.

  12. Natural Selection • Nature has selected those humans who believe in X, resulting in widespread belief in X. • If nature has selected those humans who believe something, resulting in widespread belief in it, then it cannot be objectively true. • Therefore no view on X is objectively true.

  13. Agnosticism • “It is impossible to know anything about morals.” • The statement destroys itself, because it presents itself as an item of knowledge about morals.

  14. Objectivism • “Objective morals exist.” (O) • “How do you know.” (S) • “I don’t know how I know.” (O) • “Then you don’t know, because one has to know how he knows something to know it.” (S) • “That’s not true. I can’t explain how I know what I’m thinking, but surely I know it. Therefore it is possible to know without knowing how. This is one of those instances.” (O)

  15. Problems for the Objectivist • “Given the variety of morals, shouldn’t you doubt your so-called ‘knowledge.’” • “How do you know which morals are subjective and which are objective?” • “Can’t the subjectivist also say that he knows without knowing how?”

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