Ethical Views of Morality (Kant and Mill)
By: Mallory Sivard
Nwankwo Chukwuebuka Justin
Sahar Sadruddin
What is Morality ?
- Morality is a discipline that is concerned with what is right and wrong
- Other definition: Morals are set of rules that we ought to obey. It set the principles on what is right or wrong
Who tells us what is right or wrong?:
- Culture
- Religion
- Parents etc
But under what principles of morality do these people base their ideas on
- Many Philosophers have brought up various ideas on how the principles of morality can be justified.
- The ethical views on morality of two of these Philosophers (Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill) will be analyzed
Positives of Kant's Views on Morality
Limitations of Mill's Ethical views on Morality
People have virtue as human beings
Not using people as an ends to a means
Ex: The Tuskegee Syphilis
Experiments
Introduce Kant and Mill
Mill's view on morality
- The ends don't always justify the means. Imagine killing a healthy person and giving his organs to five people. The balance of happiness over harm supports this but we all know this is wrong.
- Also, people cannot be trusted. If people are given absolute freedom to choose when to act in order to attain greater good, they will be selfish and try to justify their actions that they were for the greater good
Kant's ethical View on morality
Maxims: Generalized rule of a motive; How likely to be a universal law
Immanuel Kant: (1724–1804) German Philosopher, Deontologists, autonomous will
- He supported the value of utilitarianism as a moral theory
- Mill defines utilitarianism as a theory based on the principle that "actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness
- Kant believes that Morality is based off of Duty (Deontology)
- Duty is an obligation that we freely impose onto ourselves
- Morality is equal to rationality, and moral actions can be considered through the rationality of the motive. For morality to be valid, it must apply to all rational beings
Happiness is difficult to measure.
John Stuart Mill: (1806-1873) British philosopher, economist, moral and political theorist, Consequentialist,
heteronomous will
Mills View Continued
Limitations of Kant's Ethical views on Morality
1. Higher Order - (Scientific knowledge, Artistic Creativity, Philosophy)
Positives of Utilitarianism
2. Lower Order - (Sensual Activities- eating, drinking, sex)
Mill ranks higher order enjoyments higher than lower order. Best human life comes from higher order, empirical evidence to support this
Kant's View Continued
Morality is for the greatest good of the greatest
number.
- Is the goodwill always good without qualification? Can't one with goodwill who always try to do his duty create misery instead?
- For example, imagine a student running around campus taking cigarettes from other students mouth. This student is only trying to help but still, he or she might end up getting arrested or beaten up
Happiness of all concerned - Universal
- It is a system that tends to create a happier life for an individual
- Utilitarianism is secular -it doesn't rely on specific beliefs. In today's multicultural society, with a range of religious beliefs and growing number of atheists, a secular theory like this is most useful
- Feelings don't count as motivation, as they're unreliable
- This does not mean that helping people is only good if you hate it. The point is that you would help even if you didn't like it, because it's your duty
An acts value depends on the outcome not the intent or motive.
Terms to Define
Two Types of Moral Theory
Consequentialist: Locates morality in the consequences
Deontologists: Morality is located in the duties and rights
Types of Wills
Autonomous: Morality with respect to humans having free will
Heteronomous: Morality with respect to others, obedience to rules already set in place
- Society is more apt to follow Mill's view of morality. For example, we tend to help our family, friends rather than strangers.
- Also, society does not like to be told what to do
- Johnson, Robert. "Kant's Moral Philosophy." Stanford University. Stanford University, 23 Feb. 2004. Web. 27 Apr. 2015. <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-moral/>.
- "Kant v. Mill: Pros and Cons." Kant v. Mill: Pros and Cons. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
- Wilson, Fred. "John Stuart Mill." Stanford University. Stanford University, 03 Jan. 2002. Web. 27 Apr. 2015