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Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Theories Lecture Notes
Jul 17, 2024
Lecture Notes: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Theories
Introduction
Topic:
Justice and morality
Scenario introduction:
Trolley car dilemma
Trolley Car Dilemma
Scenario 1
Situation:
Driver of a runaway trolley
5 workers on main track
1 worker on side track
Decision: Turn trolley to side track to kill 1 and save 5.
Audience Poll:
Majority would turn to side track
Reasoning:
Better to kill 1 than 5
Example: 9/11 plane crash into field
Scenario 2
Situation:
Onlooker on a bridge
5 workers on track
Fat man beside you could be pushed to stop trolley
Decision: Push man to save 5?
Audience Poll:
Majority would not push the man
Discussion:
Why the difference in responses?
Active choice:
Pushing someone feels more like murder
Moral difference:
Whether involvement changes moral weight
Other Moral Dilemmas
Emergency Room Case
Situation:
Doctor with 6 patients
5 with moderate injuries
1 severely injured
Decision: Treat 1 to let 5 die, or treat 5 and 1 dies?
Audience Poll:
Majority would save the 5
Transplant Case
Situation:
Doctor with 5 patients needing organ transplants
Healthy patient in another room
Decision: Sacrifice healthy patient to save 5?
Audience Poll:
Almost unanimous against
Reasoning:
Intrinsic wrongness of murder
Core Ethical Theories Introduced
Consequentialism (Utilitarianism):
Morality based on outcomes
Greatest good for greatest number
Categorical Moral Reasoning:
Morality based on intrinsic nature of an act
Some acts are categorically wrong despite good outcomes
Real-Life Case: Queen vs. Dudley and Stephens
Background:
Shipwreck and survival dilemma
4 crew members, including young cabin boy
After days without food, cabin boy killed and eaten to save others
Court Case:
Defense of necessity vs. prosecution of murder
Audience Poll:
Majority voted guilty
Discussion Themes
Defense Arguments
Necessity:
Desperation justified the act
Survival Situation:
Moral leniency in extreme conditions
Prosecution Arguments
Killing is always wrong:
Regardless of circumstances
Lack of Consent:
Cabin boy had no choice
Question of Consent:
Would consent make a difference?
Philosophical Exploration
Consequentialist reasoning challenges:
Importance of outcomes
Categorical reasoning challenges:
Intrinsic moral duties and rights
Role of consent:
How and why it changes moral judgments
Upcoming Topics
Utilitarian Philosophy:
Works of Bentham and Mill
Categorical Philosophy:
Works of Kant and others
Conclusion
Course Focus:
Moral and political philosophy
Risks of Philosophy:
Personal and political implications
Encouragement to Engage:
To challenge assumptions and explore moral reasoning deeply.
Additional Resources
Interactive Online Resources:
justiceharvard.org
Emoji Summary:
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Full transcript