Table of Contents

1. Ancient Ethics and Modern Morality

a. Ethics and Morality

b. Ancient Ethics

i. The Cynics and the Cyrenaics – The Extremes

ii. The Peripatetic School – Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics

iii. Epicureanism and Stoicism

c. Modern Morality

. Kantianism

i. Utilitarianism

d. The Up-shot

The Table of Ancient Ethics and Modern Morality – A Comparison

Ancient Ethics and Modern Morality – The Main Differences

. The Good Life versus the Good Action

a. The Moral Ought

b. Can a Virtuous Person Act in a Non-Virtuous Way?

Special Problem: Kant and Aristotle – Moral Duty and For the Sake of the Noble

Conclusion

References and Further Reading

1. Ancient Ethics and Modern Morality

There are at least two main criteria that each moral theory must fulfil: first, the criterion of justification (that is, the particular moral theory should not contain any contradictions) and, second, the criterion of applicability (that is, the particular moral theory should solve concrete problems and offer ethical orientation). However, many (traditional) moral theories are unable to meet the second criterion and simply fall short of the high demands of applied ethics to solve the complex moral problems of our times. Why is this the case? The main point is that the traditional moral theories are not sufficiently well equipped to deal with completely new problems such as issues concerning nuclear power, gene technology, and cloning and so forth. Therefore, there is constant interest in updating and enhancing a particular moral theory in order to make it compatible with the latest demands. Examples are neo-Aristotelians such as Hursthouse on abortion (1991) and on nature (2007), as well as neo-Kantians such as Regan on animals (1985), Korsgaard in general and in particular on animals and nature (1996), and Altman’s edited volume on the use and limits of Kant’s practical philosophy in applied ethics (2011). This is a difficult and often very complex process.

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 981