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What about
MORALITY?The place and roleofREASON
in Morality
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What about
MORALITY?The place and roleofREASON
in Morality
Isitmorally
ACCEPTABLE
orWRONG?
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For each item in Part A: Compare the percentageof those who consider it ACCEPTABLE with those
who consider it WRONG.1. Over which behaviors/practices does our classgenerally agree in terms of their morality/immorality?
2. Which behaviors/practices does the classconsider controversiali.e., there are almost equalnumber of students claiming rightness andwrongness?
3. Compare the class results with the surveyresults conducted by Gallup on Americanrespondents in 2010. What similarities/diferences
do you note?Wednesday, November 28, 12
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AcceptableORWrong ACC WRON DIFF Dont Know
GAMBLING 55 33 22 12
POLYGAMY 17 73 56 10
ABORTION31 48
17 21HAVINGABABYOUTSIDE 37 53 16 10
HOMOSEXUALRELATIONSHIP 58 30 28 12
SUICIDE 20 73 53 7
PREMARITALSEX65 30 35 5
CLONINGANIMALS 81 9 72 10
DIVORCE 57 33 24 10
DEATHPENALTY 34 56 22 10
ADULTERY 2 95 93 3
DOCTOR-ASSISTEDSUICIDE 39 52 13 8
ANIMALFUR 72 19 53 9
HUMANCLONING 43 48 5 9
MEDICALTESTINGONANIMALS 67 16 51 16
STEMCELLSFROMHUMAN 80 18 62 2Wednesday, November 28, 12
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What about
MORALITY?
Isitmorally
ACCEPTABLE
orWRONG?
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What do you think of your morality?
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Clearly Acceptable Clearly Wrong Controversy
Homosexual Relationship Polygamy Gambling
Premarital SexHaving a Baby
outside MarriageAbortion
Cloning Animals Suicide Doctor-AssistedSuicide
Divorce Death Penalty Human Cloning
Animal Fur Adultery
Medical Testing - Animals
Human Stem Cells
What do you think of your morality?
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For Part B: For most of your answers, which of thefollowing has tended to be the PRIMARY basis for
classifying an action as acceptable or wrong?
4% Parents12% Religion
2% School or teachers0% State or government0% Peers or Friends2% Media80% Personal Preferences
What do you think of the classs top answer? How
does it compare with your own?Wednesday, November 28, 12
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What about
MORALITY?
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What about
MORALITY?The place and role
ofREASON
in Morality
Isitmorally
ACCEPTABLE
orWRONG?
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AUTHORITY
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AUTHORITY
DIRECT EVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT
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AUTHORITY
DIRECT EVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT
OPINION
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AUTHORITY
DIRECT EVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT
OPINION
Our OPINION should be based on evaluation of DIRECTEVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT and AUTHORITY
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AUTHORITY
DIRECT EVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT
OPINION
Our OPINION should be based on evaluation of DIRECTEVIDENCE/RATIONAL ARGUMENT and AUTHORITY
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Wednesday, November 28, 12
t i
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controversies
arema
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controversies
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Its not as SIMPLE as that! FOUR COMPLICATIONS...
MORALITY: Choice between GOODandBAD
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Complication #1: SHADES OF GRAY
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
Acts can be RIGHT, NEUTRAL, or WRONG.
Complication #1: SHADES OF GRAY
ForbiddenDuty
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
A WRONG ACT is an action--or inaction--thatviolates an accepted norm and generally causes someharm to ones self, to others, or to society in general.
Acts can be RIGHT, NEUTRAL, or WRONG.
Complication #1: SHADES OF GRAY
Basis for Decision: Authority (parents,
religion, state, school), Opinion, or Reason
ForbiddenDuty
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
Complication #1: SHADES OF GRAY
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
Not all acts can be readily classified aswrong. Some are contested. Examples ofacts that are not clearly wrong...
Acts can be RIGHT, NEUTRAL, or WRONG.
Complication #1: SHADES OF GRAY
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Complication #1:
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Complication #1:
SHADES OF GRAY
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Complication #1:
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Complication #1:
SHADES OF GRAYReason cannot always determine with 100%
certainty whether some acts are acceptable orwrong.When we are unsure of the wrongness of an act,what would be the safer assumption?
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Complication #1:
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The road of CAUTION
Complication #1:
SHADES OF GRAYReason cannot always determine with 100%
certainty whether some acts are acceptable orwrong.When we are unsure of the wrongness of an act,what would be the safer assumption?
When unsure of
whether or notan act is wrong,rr on the side of caution.
Assume it is wrong.
WHY?Wednesday, November 28, 12
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Wednesday, November 28, 12
Complication #2: Application of
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Complication #2: Application ofMoral Principles
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Complication #2: Application of
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Complication #2: Application ofMoral Principles
Phronesis
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Complication #2: Application of
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Complication #2: Application ofMoral Principles
Practical Wisdom: One can learn theprinciples of action, but applying them in the real
world, in particular situations one could not have
foreseen, requires experience of the world.
Phronesis
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Phronesis
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Phronesis
Moralissuesandques.onsareambiguousandcomplex
Solu.onsandanswersareo8ennotself-
evidentorobvious
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The two extremes of
moral reasoning:
ABSOLUTIST RELATIVISTConsider onlyGENERALPRINCIPLES,
but notPARTICULARSITUATION
No considerationofGENERALPRINCIPLES.
OnlyPARTICULAR
SITUATION
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The two extremes ofmoral reasoning:
ABSOLUTIST RELATIVISTConsider onlyGENERALPRINCIPLES,
but notPARTICULARSITUATION
No considerationofGENERALPRINCIPLES.
OnlyPARTICULAR
SITUATION
EVALUATIVIST
Consider BOTH
GENERAL SITUATIONand
PARTICULARSITUATION
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Wednesday, November 28, 12
Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL
Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL if and only if:Grave Matter: Serious harm
&/OR Adequate Knowledge&/OR Adequate Freedom
SINFUL
Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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NEUTRAL
Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL if and only if:Grave Matter: Serious harm
&/OR Adequate Knowledge&/OR Adequate Freedom
SINFUL
Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL if and only if:Grave Matter: Serious harm
&/OR Adequate Knowledge&/OR Adequate Freedom
SINFUL
Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL if and only if:Grave Matter: Serious harm
&/OR Adequate Knowledge&/OR Adequate Freedom
SINFUL
Serious harm has been caused.
The actor knew that the act was wrong and harmful.
The actor could freely choose todo or not to do the action, andwas not influenced by coercionor fear.
Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL if and only if:Grave Matter: Serious harm
&/OR Adequate Knowledge&/OR Adequate Freedom
GRAVE SINif & only if:
ALL OF THE ABOVE
SINFUL
Serious harm has been caused.
The actor knew that the act was wrong and harmful.
The actor could freely choose todo or not to do the action, andwas not influenced by coercionor fear.
Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL
p / /
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Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL if and only if:Grave Matter: Serious harm
&/OR Adequate Knowledge&/OR Adequate Freedom
SINFUL
Serious harm has been caused.
The actor knew that the act was wrong and harmful.
The actor could freely choose todo or not to do the action, andwas not influenced by coercionor fear.
p / /
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Complication #3: RIGHT/WRONG and GOOD/BAD
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
Not all wrong actions are bad/sinful.
SINFUL if and only if:Grave Matter: Serious harm
&/OR Adequate Knowledge&/OR Adequate Freedom
GRAVE SINif & only if:
ALL OF THE ABOVE
SINFUL
Serious harm has been caused.
The actor knew that the act was wrong and harmful.
The actor could freely choose todo or not to do the action, andwas not influenced by coercionor fear.
p / /
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
MORAL DECISION vs. SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT
If and only if:1) RIGHT vs. WRONG2) WRONG vs. WRONG
(The Lesser of 2 Evils)
SINFUL
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RIGHT NEUTRAL
MORAL DECISION vs. SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT
If and only if:1) RIGHT vs. WRONG2) WRONG vs. WRONG
(The Lesser of 2 Evils)
If & only if:
1) RIGHT vs. RIGHT2) NEUTRAL vs. RIGHT
(The Greater Good)
SINFUL
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Complication #4: Two Principles
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Complication #4: Two Principles
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Complication #4: Two Principles
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Complication #4: Two Principles
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Complication #4: Two Principles
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Complication #4: Two Principles
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Complication #4: Two Principles
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The POTHOLES of MoralityWednesday, November 28, 12
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The road of SUSPICION
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The road of SUSPICIONWhenever your decision
involves pleasure or avoidspain, cast some suspicion onyour motive.
You may be biased for thisdecision because it is moreconvenient or less painful
rather than because it is rightand not wrong.
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The road of SUSPICION
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The road of SUSPICIONWhenever your decision
involves pleasure or avoidspain, cast some suspicion onyour motive.
You may be biased for thisdecision because it is moreconvenient or less painful
rather than because it is rightand not wrong.
AGERE CONTRA: To act against our inclination
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The road of SUSPICIONWhenever your decisioninvolves pleasure or avoidspain, cast some suspicion onyour motive.
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Two simple guidelines
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The road of SUSPICION
The road of CAUTIONWhen unsure of whetheror not an act is wrong,
err on the side of caution.Assume it is wrong.
Whenever your decisioninvolves pleasure or avoidspain, cast some suspicion onyour motive.
Twosimpleguidelines...
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Conscience is what we use inmaking moral decisions.
Follow an informedconscience when making amoral decision.
Primacy of Conscience
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Primacy of Conscience
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Primacy of Conscience
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Primacy of Conscience
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The conscience carefully considers:1) the concrete circumstances ofthe moral situation,
2) the important values that need
to be protected,3) the relevant moral teachings & normsinvolved,
4) the good and bad efects
of every moral option.
Primacy of Conscience
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We need guidance from Authority & Reason
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e eed gu da ce o ut o ty & easo
Route #1: Learn the WHAT
The Rules: The Dos & DontsWhat the Authorities Say
Adequate for simpler issues andsimpler people.
Suitable for complex issues & more educated people.
Route #2: Learn the WHY & HOWMoral ReasoningWhy the Authorities Say What They Say
How You Assess Their Claim (Conscience)
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ASSENT DISSENT
BLIND
REASONED
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FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES
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ASSENT DISSENT
BLIND
REASONED
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FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES
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ASSENT DISSENT
BLIND
REASONED
BlindAssent
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FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES
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ASSENT DISSENT
BLIND
REASONED
BlindAssent
BlindDissent
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FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES
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ASSENT DISSENT
BLIND
REASONED
BlindAssent
BlindDissent
Reasoned
Assent
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FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES
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ASSENT DISSENT
BLIND
REASONED
BlindAssent
BlindDissent
Reasoned
AssentReasoned
Dissent
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FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES
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ASSENT DISSENT
BLIND
REASONED
BlindAssent
BlindDissent
Reasoned
AssentReasoned
Dissent
Which are acceptable responses?
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FOUR POSSIBLE RESPONSES
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ASSENT DISSENT
BLIND
REASONED
BlindAssent
BlindDissent
Reasoned
AssentReasoned
Dissent
Which are acceptable responses?
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