ETHICS

Theories of Ethics
DEPRATMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
RIPHAH INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD
Relativism
No universal norms of right and wrong
One person can say X is right, another
can say X is wrong, and both can be
right
Subjective relativism
Each person decides right and wrong for
himself or herself
Whats right for you may not be right for
me
What is right and wrong depends
upon a societys actual moral guidelines
These guidelines vary from place to place
and from time to time
A particular action may be right in one
society at one time and wrong in other
society or at another time
Cultural Relativism
HEDONISM

( HEDON IS A GREEK WORD WHICH MEANS PLEASURE)

The ethical doctrine holding that only what is pleasant
or has pleasant consequences is intrinsically good.

Egoism

Psychological egoism: Human actions are
motivated by their self-interests.
Ethical egoism: One should only promote ones
own interests, or it is alright for everyone to do
so.
Utilitarianism: The Greatest Good
Argues that the consequences of an
action make that action either moral
or immoral.
An action that leads to beneficial
consequences is right or moral; one
that leads to harmful consequences is
wrong or immoral.
Known as a consequentialist theory.

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)
John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873)
The greatest good of the greatest numbers
IDEAL UTILITARIANISM
A THEORY OF RASHDEL
Utilitarianism
Consequentialism or teleological ethics
Kantian Ethics: Duties and Rights
Argues that the consequences of an
action are irrelevant to a moral
evaluation of that action.
It is the motivation behind an action
that matters. Actions that are moral
are those that are undertaken out of
a sense of duty.
One does it because it is the right
thing to do.
Deontology
Deontological ethics
nonconsequentalist
judgment of moral rightness based
on the intrinsic moral value of the
act itself
Good will
motivating force in all morality
Kantian Ethics
Aristotelian Ethics: The Virtuous Life
Virtues enable human beings to act in
accordance with our essence or human
nature. The thing that distinguishes humans
from all other creatures is our ability to
reason.
A lifetime of virtuous living and avoidance of
vice forms a morally virtuous character.
A good character is an achievement, not a
natural endowment.
We owe obedience to our Creator.
God is all-good and all-knowing.
God is the ultimate authority.

Divine Command Theory
..