PY1103, Topic 2: Moral theory

What is a moral theory?

A moral theory gives an account of the underlying justification for all our correct moral

judgements.

The role of moral theory:

1. To give us guidance, in cases in which we’re unsure what to do.

We can see what to do by applying the underlying moral principle.

2. To explain why our correct moral beliefs are true, and to challenge those that are not.

Those of our beliefs that are incompatible with the underlying moral justification are to be revised or rejected.

The two main enlightenment moral theories:

1. Utilitarianism

• The underlying justification for every legitimate moral judgement is the importance of promoting well-being or preventing suffering.
• Each person’s well-being matters equally (regardless of race, gender, national boundaries, etc).
• The right action is the one that promotes as much well-being as possible, or alleviates as much suffering as possible (giving equal weight to each person’s welfare or suffering).

2. Kantianism

• The underlying moral justification for every correct moral judgement is the priceless dignity of each human being.
• Human dignity is grounded in rational autonomy. This is the capacity for being self-governing, which is conferred on us by our rational nature.
• The appropriate response to this dignity is to honour and respect it.

These two theories are the most prominent versions of two rival approaches: consequentialism

and deontology.

Consequentialism: the right action is the one that has the best consequences. The goal of morality

is to improve the state of the world as much as possible.

Deontology: certain kinds of actions, such as killing an innocent person, are morally prohibited,

even if performing such an action would have the best consequences.

According to Kantian deontology, we ought to act out reverence / respect for the priceless worth

of human dignity.

This involves viewing each life as of incomparable value (and so rules out consequentialist

calculations about the value of different outcomes):

-it precludes seeing one life as less valuable than another.

-it precludes seeing several lives as worth more than one.

Respect for persons’ dignity also prohibits paternalism, and requires acting in a way that each

person could reasonably agree to.