FILOSOFÍA - LA LIBERTAD Y RESPONSABILIDAD

1º BACHILLERATO | Filosofía © Oxford University Press España, S.A. 2009


1 Freedom and responsibility: a brief historical approach2 (Ethical) reflection and (moral) action

2.1 Ethics and morality2.2 When is an action moral?2.3 Basis of morality

3 Freedom as a condition of moral action3.1 Two views on freedom3.2 Principle uses of the term freedom3.3 Should the moral act be free?3.4 Ethical indeterminism3.5 Determinism

4 The responsibility as the foundation of morality4.1 The concept of responsibility4.2 Ethics of convictions and ethics of responsibility4.3 A contemporary idea of responsibility4.4 Hans Jonas: responsibility as a principle4.5 Ethics of responsibility facing the future

INDEX

FUNDAMENTS OF MORAL ACTION: FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY


1 Freedom and responsibility: a brief historical approach 1 Freedom and responsibility: a brief historical approach

IN ANCIENT GREECE

CONCEPTION OF FREEDOM

IN MEDIEVAL AGES

Christianity replaced the concept of

freedom with the idea of divine law

Christianity needed to face the problem

between freedom and salvation

The idea of freedom and responsibility

are recovered

Two different concepts of freedom

It is the ability to act, despite the constraints

that nature imposes

Men, armed with reason and will, develop the

moral norms that govern their behavior

IN MODERNITY

Responsibility is conceived as a consequence

of freedom


God gives us our moral norms

and conduct should be

necessarily determined by them

How can I obtain salvation or

condemn myself if I am not free?

Individualism

Autonomy

foundation of

liberalism

foundation of

moral reflexions


ETHICS AND MORALITY

ETHICS

Both of them refer to human

action and are related to

customs and social rules

2 (Ethical) reflection and (moral) action

2.1 Ethics and morality

2 (Ethical) reflection and (moral) action

2.1 Ethics and morality

MORALITY

Morality is related to the action

and ethics is related to

reflection

It is a set of rules of behavior

and customs accepted in an

concrete society


SIMILARITIES

DIFFERENCES

It is a critical judgment about

moral, its rules and the

consequences of human behavior


MORALITY

MORAL ACTION

Moral actions are

oriented by rulesMoral codes guide our behaviour

FEATURES OF MORAL CODES

Moral codes are

products of a

reflection

Moral norms try to

achieve universality

Teleological Ethics

Deontological Ethics

2.2 When is an action moral?2.2 When is an action moral?

A moral action is a

social action

Morality appear in our relationships with

others


MAIN KINDS OF ETHICAL THEORIES

Every moral action involves a previous critical

reflection about its reach and consequences

A moral norm, if correct, should be valid for

everyone

It is a theory that holds that the ends of an act

determines whether an act is good or evil

It is a theory that holds that if we have a duty

to perform an action, this duty derives from

the nature of the act itself, rather than from

the consequences produced by the action


2.3 Basis of morality2.3 Basis of morality

CRITERIA BASISOF MORALITY

EXTERNAL FOUNDATION INTERNAL FOUNDATION

Natural lawsTraditionsDivine law

The value of the norm lies in

something external to the

moral subject

Teleological ethics

It relies on dialogue and

public use of reason

Throughout history, people have proposed

various criteria for establishing a basis for

morality

The value of the norm lies in the very moral subject


INTERSUBJECTIVE FOUNDATION

Examples of criteria

Examples of moral theories


Deontological ethics

The moral subject is considered a

free being endowed with

reason and will


Discourse ethics

The rules are established by consensus and

seeks to achieve a fair society


3 Freedom as a condition of moral action3.1 Two views on freedom

3 Freedom as a condition of moral action3.1 Two views on freedom

MEANING OF FREEDOM

NEGATIVE

FREEDOM

Meanings

POSITIVE

FREEDOM

Freedom understood as

absence of constraints

Freedom understood as

the ability to act

ETYMOLOGYLatin word

“Liber”

Non slave

It happens when someone is not

prohibited from doing something

This kind of freedom is involved in

all moral actions

It refers to being able to choose

among different possibilities

This kind of freedom involves

autonomy and responsibility

Adult


Person who takes part in

community life as a citizen

Person who is owner of their actions

and is responsible for them


3.2 Principle uses of the term freedom3.2 Principle uses of the term freedom

TYPES OF FREEDOM

LEGALFREEDOM

LEEWAY

It is the right that a man has to act in a specific way

and nobody must force him to act differently

It is related to law

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM

The limits to action are given by laws

It is the acceptance that the human being endowed

with reason and will, is able to decide for itself

This is the moral sense of freedom

It is the ability to do what the subject wants

It doesn't matter if the individual is radically free or not



3.3 Should the moral act be free?3.3 Should the moral act be free?

FREEDOM AND MORALITY

MORAL CODES ANDMORAL BEHAVIOR

THE ROLE OF FREEDOM IN OUR MORAL BEHAVIOR

Every single norm has exceptions

A conflict between two different

rules can happen

Every moral act involves norms which are parts of moral codes

We use our moral codes to guide us

toward a ethical goal

It claims that human beings are free

Our moral codes do not solve every moral problem that we

have

Ethical indeterminism

Ethical determinism

It denies the possibility of human beings being free


Every moral code reduces

freedom to negative freedom

It argues that freedom is a necessary condition for

moral actions

It argues that every event, including human actions

are part of a chain of causes and effects



3.4 Ethical indeterminism3.4 Ethical indeterminism

RACIONAL

INDETERMINISM

Our will acts freely when

we choose among

several possibilities

The human being

is absolutely free

Descartes and Kant supported

this philosophical theory

Our true freedom belongs only to the rational level. We are not free

from a physical point of view

RADICAL

INDETERMINISM

MAIN THESIS TYPES ORIGINS

INDETERMINISM

J. P. Sartre supported this

philosophical theory

In Ancient Greece

The ethical relativism proposed by

sophists and the moral

intellectualism proposed by Plato can

be considered antecedents of

indeterminism




KANT

REASON AND

CONSCIENCE

THE GOODWILL

One reason,

two uses

AUTONOMY AND HETERONOMY

Conscience

governs our

behavior

When we talk about the

foundation of moral

imperatives, we can

distinguish between

moral autonomy and

moral heteronomy

In human actions,

our reason gives an

imperative to our will

Pure reason

Practical reason

It concerns knowing how things are and

tries to establish laws

It concerns knowing what we should do

and what are the principles of our behavior

The principles that help our conscience to guide our behavior are

important it terms of our morality, not the goal we want to achieve

In moral actions, it does not matter what we do, but what we want to do

There are two

different kinds

of imperative

Hypothetical

imperative

Categorical

imperative

If we act according to

this imperative, our

action will be legal

If we act according to

this imperative, our

action will be moral

Moral

heteronomy

Moral

autonomy

Our will gives

norms to itself

Our will receives

norms from

outside

A goodwill is a will

which is autonomous

and obeys the

categorical

imperative

A goodwill is a will

which is autonomous

and obeys the

categorical

imperative




SARTRE

EXISTENTIALISM

What is it?

WE ARE CONDEMNED TO

BE FREE

Who are its main

representatives?

Assumptions

Philosophical current that developed between

the First and Second World War

Kierkegaard, Jaspers, Heidegger, Sartre and Marcel

Each individual human existence is free and uses his

freedom to build his essence by himself

Radical atheism

Responsibility

With every actions we are

creating ourselves and we can

not escape this responsibility

Denial of the existence of God

What claims?

Consequences

Action

Authenticity

Our actions affect all humans

We are our actions

The authentic life consists of

free will

Anguish

Nausea and shame

We feel these things when

other consider us as an object

and use us for their benefit



3.5 Determinism3.5 Determinism

MORAL DETERMINISM

FACTORS THAT DETERMINE

OUR BEHAVIORPsychological factors

Our emotions and feelings determine our

actions and moral judgments

DETERMINISM OF MORAL

JUDGMENTS

Our reason can not be

the foundation of our

moral judgments

Our feelings are the

foundation of our

moral judgments

Humans are not free

Positive an negative

reinforcement

Biological factorsOur genetic inheritance determines our

capacities and our possible development

DETERMINISM OF MORAL BEHAVIOR

We use our reason to relate

ideas not to guide our behavior

We approve or disapprove

somewhat depending on our

feelings

All our actions are determined

and we can keep them under

control if we use the right tools

Behaviors rewarded tend to

stay and behaviors punished

tend to disappear

Social factorsThe processes of socialization and education

determine our judgments and actions

HUME

SKINNER

Human nature is the

foundation of our

feelings

Our nature determines our

moral judgments



4 The responsibility as the foundation of morality4.1 The concept of responsibility

4 The responsibility as the foundation of morality4.1 The concept of responsibility

RESPONSIBILITY

MORALITY,

FREEDOM AND

RESPONSIBILITY

SENSES OF

RESPONSIBILITY

An act is moral only

if it is free

As respect for norms

We can only consider an act as good or evil if

whoever did it is free

Allocation of responsibility for

an act

The performance of duty and

obligations

The obligation to compensate

for the damage caused

As imputation

As compensation for

damage

In response to

someone

As care or

occupation

A free action involves

responsibility

we usually reward somebody who does something

good and punish those who do something bad

Refers to who is accountable to

someone for something

Refers to taking care of person

or thing

These senses are related to

the law

These senses are related to morality



4.2 Ethics of convictions and ethics of responsibility4.2 Ethics of convictions and ethics of responsibility

WHAT GUIDE HUMAN ACTION?

CONVICTIONS

RESPONSIBILITY

Moral action is guided by

universal moral principles

How do we make an agreement about which are the correct

principles?

We are held accountable if we

respect the moral norms

What happen with relation between responsibility and

consequences of our actions?

ETHICS OF

CONVICTIONS

ETHICS OF

RESPONSIBILITY

In moral actions, more important than

principles are the assessment we

make of the different options

In moral actions, we must take into

account the most significant

consequences of different options



4.3 A contemporary idea of responsibility4.3 A contemporary idea of responsibility

DISCOURSE ETHICS

WHAT IS THE DISCOURSE

ETHICS?

Similarities and

differences with

ethics of Kant

They agree about importance of reason to establish

moral principles and about the autonomy of our will

PROBLEMS WITH THE FOUNDATION

OF MORALITY

External

foundation

Foundation morality

on dialogue

The issue about

consequences of

technological

development

Representatives Jürgen Habermas and Karl Otto Apel

PROPOSAL OF DISCOURSE

ETHICS

It is impossible to find an universal principle useful

for everyone

The categorical imperative can lead us to relativism,

therefore It would be impossible to achieve an

agreement in a controversial

Only are valid those moral norms which

would be accepted by everybody concerned

as participants in a practical discourse

Ethics of responsibility must give a response

to problems like ecological crisis or the

increasing of nuclear weapons

They disagree about the neediness of reflection

about justice, happiness and responsibility

Not only get good people, but also a good life for all

Internal

foundation

Main aim

Discourse ethics is unable to obtain

universal principles that guide our action



4.4 Hans Jonas: responsibility as a principle4.4 Hans Jonas: responsibility as a principle

RESPONSIBILITY ETHICS

Problems related

to technological

development

Technological development

has created uncertainty

about security in the future

The ancient moral principles are useful only for daily issues

To keep old moral categories for our daily relations

Place responsibility

as fundamental

principle in every

moral action

We have a free

willHans Jonas assume that our will is free

Imperative proposed

as principle of

morality:

The abuse of resources is

extremely dangerous for the

environment, and this is a

risk for the whole world now

and in the future

In the present

circumstances, the

moral responsibility

is a necessary

requirement

Traditional moral systems deal only with human relationships

marginalizing nature

Now, responsibility means responding to

their own actions before all humanity and

concern for others

SITUATION

REFLEXIONS

SOLUTION

At one time, technique had no moral implications, but now moral

implications of technology are enormous and can become irreversible

Act in a way that the effects

of your action are compatible

with the permanence of

genuine human life on Earth

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