Morality and Morality and Social PolicySocial Policy

Vice and Virtue in Everyday Vice and Virtue in Everyday LifeLife

Chapter 7Chapter 7

Famine, Affluence, Famine, Affluence, and Morality, Singerand Morality, Singer

►(1) Suffering and death from a lack of (1) Suffering and death from a lack of food, shelter, and medical care are food, shelter, and medical care are bad.bad.

►(2) If we can prevent something bad (2) If we can prevent something bad from happening without sacrificing from happening without sacrificing something of comparable moral worth, something of comparable moral worth, we ought to do it.we ought to do it.

SingerSinger►(3) We can prevent such suffering and (3) We can prevent such suffering and

death by giving to famine relief.death by giving to famine relief.►(C) We ought to give to famine relief.(C) We ought to give to famine relief.

SingerSinger►Proximity and distance don’t matter.Proximity and distance don’t matter.►Does the argument have an absurd Does the argument have an absurd

consequence?consequence?►The argument calls for a change in our The argument calls for a change in our

moral categories.moral categories.

World Hunger and World Hunger and Moral Obligation: The Moral Obligation: The Case Against Singer, Case Against Singer,

ArthurArthur►Arthur calls into question Singer’s Arthur calls into question Singer’s

“greater moral evil rule”.“greater moral evil rule”.►Rights and desert also carry moral Rights and desert also carry moral

weight.weight.

ArthurArthur►A moral code that is rational to A moral code that is rational to

support must be practical.support must be practical.

For God’s Sake, For God’s Sake, Please Stop the Aid!, Please Stop the Aid!,

ShikwatiShikwati►Aid is ineffective, and in fact harmful.Aid is ineffective, and in fact harmful.►Aid encourages poverty, dependence, Aid encourages poverty, dependence,

and indebtedness.and indebtedness.

ShikwatiShikwati►African farmers and small businesses African farmers and small businesses

suffer, because they lose the market suffer, because they lose the market for their products.for their products.

►Aid must have accountability, because Aid must have accountability, because of corruption.of corruption.

An Almost Absolute An Almost Absolute Value in History, Value in History,

NoonanNoonan►The most fundamental question in the The most fundamental question in the

abortion debate is, “How do you abortion debate is, “How do you determine the humanity of a being?”determine the humanity of a being?”

►Noonan’s criterion: if you are Noonan’s criterion: if you are conceived by human parents, then you conceived by human parents, then you are human.are human.

NoonanNoonan►Viability is a faulty criterion.Viability is a faulty criterion.►The claim that humanity depends on The claim that humanity depends on

formation by experience fails to justify formation by experience fails to justify abortion.abortion.

►An appeal to the sentiments of adults An appeal to the sentiments of adults is also faulty.is also faulty.

►The criterion of social visibility also The criterion of social visibility also fails.fails.

On the Moral and On the Moral and Legal Status of Legal Status of

Abortion, WarrenAbortion, Warren►There is a fallacy in the standard anti-There is a fallacy in the standard anti-

abortion argument.abortion argument.►The term “human” has a genetic sense The term “human” has a genetic sense

and a moral sense.and a moral sense.

WarrenWarren►Genetic humanity is not sufficient for Genetic humanity is not sufficient for

moral humanity.moral humanity.►Traits that are central to moral Traits that are central to moral

personhood: consciousness, reasoning, personhood: consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, capacity to self-motivated activity, capacity to communicate, and the presence of a communicate, and the presence of a self-concept.self-concept.

WarrenWarren►A being that satisfies none of these A being that satisfies none of these

traits is not a person.traits is not a person.►The rights of actual persons always The rights of actual persons always

outweigh the rights of potential outweigh the rights of potential persons.persons.

► InfanticideInfanticide

A Defense of A Defense of Abortion, ThomsonAbortion, Thomson

►Abortion may still be permissible, even Abortion may still be permissible, even granting that a fetus is a person at granting that a fetus is a person at conception, with the right to life.conception, with the right to life.

► Imagine the case of the famous Imagine the case of the famous unconscious violinist.unconscious violinist.

ThomsonThomson►My having a right to life does not entail My having a right to life does not entail

that others must do whatever it takes that others must do whatever it takes to sustain my life.to sustain my life.

►The case of the people-seedsThe case of the people-seeds►The Good Samaritan and the Minimally The Good Samaritan and the Minimally

Decent SamaritanDecent Samaritan

Why Abortion is Why Abortion is Immoral, MarquisImmoral, Marquis

► In order to resolve the abortion In order to resolve the abortion controversy, we need a theoretical controversy, we need a theoretical account of the wrongness of killing.account of the wrongness of killing.

► It is wrong to kill adult human beings It is wrong to kill adult human beings because it deprives them of a future of because it deprives them of a future of value.value.

MarquisMarquis►Marquis offers 4 points in support of Marquis offers 4 points in support of

this account of the wrongness of this account of the wrongness of killing.killing.

►Fetuses have a future of value, a Fetuses have a future of value, a future like ours.future like ours.

►Given this, abortion is usually seriously Given this, abortion is usually seriously morally wrong.morally wrong.

► Is contraception also wrong?Is contraception also wrong?

On Duties to Animals, KantOn Duties to Animals, Kant

►Direct vs. Indirect DutiesDirect vs. Indirect Duties►We have no direct duties to animals, We have no direct duties to animals,

they exist merely as means to an end they exist merely as means to an end – man.– man.

►We have indirect duties to animals, We have indirect duties to animals, because this inclines us to also treat because this inclines us to also treat other human beings well.other human beings well.

A Moral Defense of A Moral Defense of Vegetarianism, RachelsVegetarianism, Rachels

► Rachels rejects Kant’s views regarding the Rachels rejects Kant’s views regarding the ethics of cruelty to animals.ethics of cruelty to animals.

► Cruelty to animals is wrong because of its Cruelty to animals is wrong because of its direct effects on the animals.direct effects on the animals.

► There is an incredible amount of animal There is an incredible amount of animal suffering caused by how we raise and suffering caused by how we raise and slaughter animals.slaughter animals.

► This treatment is standard practice; it is not This treatment is standard practice; it is not out of the ordinary.out of the ordinary.

►We should not participate in such an We should not participate in such an immoral social practice.immoral social practice.

Down on the Factory Farm, Down on the Factory Farm, SingerSinger

►The ideal farm life of animals is almost The ideal farm life of animals is almost completely mythical.completely mythical.

►Singer gives a detailed description of Singer gives a detailed description of the suffering and maltreatment of the suffering and maltreatment of animals in factory farms.animals in factory farms.

►The reasons for these practices do not The reasons for these practices do not justify them.justify them.

The Case for Affirmative Action,The Case for Affirmative Action,Barbara BergmanBarbara Bergman

►Do the good effects of affirmative action Do the good effects of affirmative action outweigh the bad?outweigh the bad?

►The presence of hostility in the workplaceThe presence of hostility in the workplace►Affirmative action and the laziness Affirmative action and the laziness

objectionobjection►Quantitative study on the feelings of Quantitative study on the feelings of

African-AmericansAfrican-Americans►Affirmative action and the production of Affirmative action and the production of

anger objectionanger objection

What’s Wrong with Affirmative What’s Wrong with Affirmative Action?, Shelby SteeleAction?, Shelby Steele

►Affirmative action appears to be Affirmative action appears to be reformist, corrective, even reformist, corrective, even redemptive.redemptive.

►Good intentions don’t outweigh Good intentions don’t outweigh negative effects.negative effects. Racial development not equivalent to Racial development not equivalent to

racial representationracial representation Demoralization and self-doubtDemoralization and self-doubt Exploitation of victimizationExploitation of victimization Fosters an illusionFosters an illusion