Overview
This lecture introduces W.D. Ross’s moral philosophy, focusing on his concepts of objective moral truths, indefinable moral properties, and his intuitionist theory of prima facie duties.
Ross’s Moral Realism
- William David Ross is a moral realist; he claims objective moral truths exist.
- Only two moral properties exist: rightness (belongs to acts) and goodness (belongs to motives).
- Rightness and goodness are indefinable, irreducible, and cannot be defined in other terms.
Concepts of Rightness and Goodness
- Goodness depends on specific situations; there is no absolute goodness.
- Rightness applies to the act itself; goodness applies to the motive.
- To judge rightness or goodness, examine the surrounding non-moral circumstances.
Prima Facie and Actual Duties
- Prima facie duty: a conditional duty; applies unless overridden by a stronger duty.
- Actual duty: the most stringent, unconditional duty; our true moral obligation.
- When duties conflict, we must follow the duty with the greatest balance of rightness.
Resolving Conflicting Duties
- Only one prima facie duty can be the actual duty in a situation.
- We decide which is the actual duty using intuition, which is self-evident for those of sound mind.
- Careful study of circumstances is needed to determine which duty is most stringent.
The Seven Prima Facie Duties
- Duty of fidelity: being faithful or loyal to a worthy cause.
- Duty of reparation: righting the wrongs we have done.
- Duty of gratitude: recognizing the good others have done for us.
- Duty of justice: being fair to everyone.
- Duty of beneficence: helping others and promoting good.
- Duty of self-improvement: improving oneself in virtue, intelligence, and happiness.
- Duty of non-maleficence: avoiding harm or injury to oneself or others.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Moral realism — the belief that objective moral truths exist.
- Rightness — a moral property that pertains to the act itself.
- Goodness — a moral property pertaining to the motive behind an act.
- Prima facie duty — a conditional moral duty that may be overridden by a stronger duty.
- Actual duty — one's unconditional and overriding moral obligation in a specific situation.
- Intuitionism — the view that we recognize moral truths through self-evident intuition.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review and memorize the seven prima facie duties.
- Practice applying Ross’s method to hypothetical situations involving conflicting duties.
- Read Ross’s "The Right and the Good" for further understanding.