Pre-Class Assignment #2
Approaches to Ethical Reasoning- Key Concepts and Variations
1) Lovin depicts a good life from two different points of view really. He uses Augustine’s example of a “humanity divided between two allegiances: worldly city and a heavenly one”.( Lovin,pg 13) There is no middle city that we belong to. So really the good life must first be looked at from both of those citizenships. Worldy citizenship says that the good life is get all you can get, acquire is the method of living this “good life”. Make enough money to obtain a sense of security. Balance freedom with work time and leisure time, because the view of the good life from a worldly perspective encompasses all three. I’m gonna go wherever I wish to go, when I wish …show more content…
Teleology-Goal Driven Ethics- There is a “Good Life” goal and Teleology asks what are we actually seeking and will our current course of action achieve or move us toward this results driven reasoning. The total focus here is results, so much so that things like rules and virtues must help us achieve our goals(results)(Lovin pg.20), whatever those goals may be. This form of ethical reasoning focuses heavily on our daily decisions. What is a single good that can connect all of our efforts? This Goal driven reasoning seems to have been birthed out of utilitarianism, what’s god for all is the undercurrent. So it does work well with a standard that is single but when we get outside of that problems emerge.(Lovin pg.24) As with any form of singular ethical reasoning, problems do exist in teleology. We are ok with only this view if we adopt a single standard, however humanity is more diverse today than ever before, so for many, this does pose the problem of a round hole and a square peg. What is the greatest happiness for one person may not be happiness at all for another person with differences like background, parental guidance and so forth. Another problem is that we are obligated to act and that seldom works as a sole …show more content…
The next form of ethical reasoning is Virtue Ethics- AKA Areteological Ethics(Lovin pg. 63) this reasoning can be in lay terms “Pattern Ethics”. This form asks questions in the fork in the road like what type of person will I become if I stay on this track with my decision making? With virtue ethics what we do is far less significant that who we become(Lovin pg 20) this is the similarity with teleology or goal driven ethics. Aristotle called virtue a “pattern of behavior that is learned through behavior.”( Lovin pg.64) The pattern is learned first and then the pattern becomes so second nature that very little thought about an action is needed. What becomes a virtue was a previous practice and this is what all three kinds of ethical reasoning share, practice. All three are learned responses often as protection mechanisms whether the focus is on the end result, or the rule, or the next right pattern all three have the bigger picture of right and wrong, good and bad ever in mind. Lovin agrees that all of these are connected. There are four virtues of utmost importance: temperance, courage, prudence, and justice.(Loving pg. 69) All of which must make the
Approaches to Ethical Reasoning- Key Concepts and Variations
1) Lovin depicts a good life from two different points of view really. He uses Augustine’s example of a “humanity divided between two allegiances: worldly city and a heavenly one”.( Lovin,pg 13) There is no middle city that we belong to. So really the good life must first be looked at from both of those citizenships. Worldy citizenship says that the good life is get all you can get, acquire is the method of living this “good life”. Make enough money to obtain a sense of security. Balance freedom with work time and leisure time, because the view of the good life from a worldly perspective encompasses all three. I’m gonna go wherever I wish to go, when I wish …show more content…
Teleology-Goal Driven Ethics- There is a “Good Life” goal and Teleology asks what are we actually seeking and will our current course of action achieve or move us toward this results driven reasoning. The total focus here is results, so much so that things like rules and virtues must help us achieve our goals(results)(Lovin pg.20), whatever those goals may be. This form of ethical reasoning focuses heavily on our daily decisions. What is a single good that can connect all of our efforts? This Goal driven reasoning seems to have been birthed out of utilitarianism, what’s god for all is the undercurrent. So it does work well with a standard that is single but when we get outside of that problems emerge.(Lovin pg.24) As with any form of singular ethical reasoning, problems do exist in teleology. We are ok with only this view if we adopt a single standard, however humanity is more diverse today than ever before, so for many, this does pose the problem of a round hole and a square peg. What is the greatest happiness for one person may not be happiness at all for another person with differences like background, parental guidance and so forth. Another problem is that we are obligated to act and that seldom works as a sole …show more content…
The next form of ethical reasoning is Virtue Ethics- AKA Areteological Ethics(Lovin pg. 63) this reasoning can be in lay terms “Pattern Ethics”. This form asks questions in the fork in the road like what type of person will I become if I stay on this track with my decision making? With virtue ethics what we do is far less significant that who we become(Lovin pg 20) this is the similarity with teleology or goal driven ethics. Aristotle called virtue a “pattern of behavior that is learned through behavior.”( Lovin pg.64) The pattern is learned first and then the pattern becomes so second nature that very little thought about an action is needed. What becomes a virtue was a previous practice and this is what all three kinds of ethical reasoning share, practice. All three are learned responses often as protection mechanisms whether the focus is on the end result, or the rule, or the next right pattern all three have the bigger picture of right and wrong, good and bad ever in mind. Lovin agrees that all of these are connected. There are four virtues of utmost importance: temperance, courage, prudence, and justice.(Loving pg. 69) All of which must make the