3.1: Ethics and the Moral Domain

We were reminded of Hank's first lesson, "we all do philosophy all the time", as ethics is a part of life, we are always thinking about right and wrong and judging people. We discussed the questions raised in the book, at each section end. When we are young, our moral values are absorbed from our parents and we then review these due to our life experiences. We felt that the basis of Christian values stayed with us and our conscience from those values guides us. 

The moral theory of utilitarianism appealed to some of us, but accepting that it does not take into account the rights of minorities. For income tax, it is in the interest of the majority to pay less, but this would be harmful to the poor. 

Cloning has great possibilities to eradicate genetic diseases but it's difficult to draw a line with eugenics. We need to agree the ethics to be applied, but which? Utilitarianism would argue for it if more people benefit than suffer. A Divine Command Theorist would need to read and interpret the holy books and modern religious leaders would apply their own interpretation. 

3.2: Moral Relativism

The treatment of cultural and religious treatment of women in Afghanistan is wrong and it is right to take a moral position short of war, as war is also wrong.  Pressure could be applied using sanctions and soft power, as was used to oppose apartheid.  The current dress sense of teenage girls was felt to be unwise but not immoral. 

Driverless cars enter the moral maze of when it is right to kill. If the car can save schoolchildren on a crossing by swerving onto the pavement and killing pensioners at a bus stop, should it?  This revisited the Trolley Problem: 

Exploring the Trolley Problem: Choices, Ethics, and Morality

Exploring the Trolley Problem: Choices, Ethics, and Morality - understanding the Trolley Problem.  The Trolley Problem is a renowned thought experiment in ethics that poses a challenging moral dilemma.  At its core, it presents a scenario where an individual must make a decision that affects the lives of others.  This is meant to shape a question around the thought of people as statistics or numbers, versus people who are worth moral consideration and how we ...philosophyforme.com

Is there a universal moral standard for all time, so an objective morality?  The book points out that cultural relativists who insist that everyone should embrace tolerance are contradicting themselves.  To say that tolerant behaviour is right for everyone, is to assert objective morality.