PAPER NO. 84

ETHICS

  1. Ethics is concerned with giving a rational justification for the answer to the question ‘what is the good?’  

Ethics assumes choice, choice assumes values, and values assume the concept of the good.  What is particularly sought in ethics is rational justification.

  1. The main concepts of ethics are the good, virtue, and happiness.

    1. The good is what is sought as an end in itself, for its own sake, and not for the sake of something else. It is clear what cannot be sought for its own sake and what can be.
    2. Virtue is what is sought as the means to the good. Consider examples of virtues, classification, and interrelations.
    3. Happiness is the effect of possessing what we believe is the good. It cannot be sought directly. Consider the difference between happiness and lasting happiness.
    4. Ethics is teleological (goal oriented), not deontological (virtue oriented), or utilitarian (happiness or pleasure oriented).
  2. The following are formal features of the good.

    1. The good is the moral absolute. It is not relative to other moral judgments, but other moral judgments (about virtue and happiness) are relative to the good.
    2. The good is the source of unity within a person, between two persons, and between groups of persons.
    3. The good is based on human nature, which is based on what is real (or eternal). So the moral absolute (the good) is based on the metaphysical absolute (the real).
    4. The good must be easily knowable if there is to be moral responsibility.
  3. There are necessary conditions for morality.

    1. If there is no metaphysical absolute (if all is eternal and nothing is absolute or transcendent) there can be no justified distinction between good and evil and therefore no morality. Consider the implications of pantheism, polytheism, naturalism and secular humanism. Is God therefore necessary for morality?
    2. If there is no personal immortality there can be no morality. If there is no personal continuity there can be no future and no purpose, and if there is no purpose there can be no goal or good.
    3. If there is no freedom there can be no morality. The good as the end in itself is achieved through choice. If there is no freedom there can be no choice and therefore the good is not achievable.
    4. If there is no clarity there can be no morality. If it is not clear what is good then one cannot be held accountable for pursuing the good. If there is no clarity then there is skepticism and if there is skepticism then there is relativism.
    5. If there is no rationality then there can be no clarity and therefore no morality. What is clear could not possibly be otherwise. Its contradiction is logically impossible. One has to stop thinking to avoid seeing what is clear.

This paper was originally developed for an Introduction to Philosophy course.


© 1992 Logos Papers Press