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