Making Ethical Arguments

Question 1

What type of ethical judgement is this? “Driving with a blood alcohol level over 0.08 is wrong according to Canadian law”.

Answer 1

legal argument

Question 2

What type of ethical judgement is this? “Chocolate ice cream is better than strawberry”

Answer 2

taste argument

Question 3

What type of ethical judgement is this? “Tom Clancy’s novel is bad; it has no plot”

Answer 3

aesthetic argument

Question 4

What type of ethical judgement is this? “I should play sports; they’re good for me”

Answer 4

prudential argument (if-then)

Question 5

What type of ethical judgement is this? “We are obligated to follow drunk driving laws”

Answer 5

ethical argument

Question 6

5 types of bad ethical arguments:

Answer 6

• arbitrariness
• over-reliance on feelings
• partisan behaviour
• because a respected authority tells you
• self-interest

Question 7

Most common form of arbitrariness:

Answer 7

tautological

Question 8

Example of tautological statement:

Answer 8

• doping in sport is wrong because it is against the rules

- cage fighting is barbaric and therefore people shouldn’t do it

Question 9

Tautology:

Answer 9

• Stating your conclusion as your premise
• Premise should add up to conclusion, but instead you jump to the end
• don’t have to occur in same sentence or section

Question 10

Over-reliance on feelings:

Answer 10

• feeling something is wrong is often the sign that it is, but it doesn’t prove it
• can’t write “I strongly believe…”

Question 11

Partisan behaviour:

Answer 11

• thinking only about your friends/family results in bias
• Right thing to do vs what your friends want you to do
• Peer pressure (esp. In youth)

Question 12

Example of partisan behaviour:

Answer 12

shouldn’t cheat unless it’s for your friends

Question 13

Because a respected authority tells you:

Answer 13

• respected authorities can guide you, but not think for you

- use respected authority to gather facts

Question 14

Self interest:

Answer 14

• moral egoism is not a ethical framework

- look out for yourself only

Question 15

Moral egoism:

Answer 15

• looking out for number one is the ethical thing to do
• inherently selfish
• too many problems to consider it a acceptable ethical framework

Question 16

Cultural/ethical relativism:

Answer 16

• values change from society to society
• ethics are relative to the cultural context
• no overarching right/wrong answers

Question 17

Why could cultural/ethical relativism be good?

Answer 17

• guard against ethnocentrism
• respects diversity
• allows us to be sensitive to different people
• what is good and right in your time and place may not be in a different time and place

Question 18

Ex. of cultural/ethical relativism:

Answer 18

• child labour (depends on the country)

- drinking in Europe

Question 19

Why could cultural/ethical relativism be bad?

Answer 19

• doesn’t give us a license to say anything goes
• free pass
• lots of friction in the sports world because there are lots of different cultures/countries involved

Question 20

Give an example of how cultural relativism can be bad:

Answer 20

• child labour: some say it is damaging to people, can’t just say it’s a cultural difference
• muslim women can’t be in the presence of men who aren’t fully dressed…. swimming lessons?

Question 21

4 steps to proper moral reasoning:

Answer 21

1. take some time
2. get all the relevant facts you can
3. be able to articulate why something is right
4. set ground rules for listening and discussing with others

Question 22

Applied ethics implements ______ ______ in specific situations to come to a conclusion about an _____ or _____.

Answer 22

• ethical frameworks

- action or choice

Question 23

3 steps to the model of applied ethics for this course:

Answer 23

1. moral principle
2. account of the relevant facts
3. practical conclusion