Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

I have a few questions about understanding some of the basic moral theories. Can someone please explain these to me? I don't believe there is necessarily a right or wrong answer for any of these.

Does ethical egoism mean that a moral society is impossible?

Does natural law theory necessarily require the invocation of God?

Does Utilitarianism require too much from morality?

All help is greatly appreciated.

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

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Does ethical egoism mean that a moral society is impossible?

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No, just that morality is not an essential (note: this is a technical term, not a synonym for "necessary") property of society.

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Does natural law theory necessarily require the invocation of God?

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No, but divine command theory does. If it helps, think of natural law theory as a humanist's divine command theory.

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Does Utilitarianism require too much from morality?

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If by "too much" you mean altruism, then yes.

Scott

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

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Does Utilitarianism require too much from morality?

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If by "too much" you mean altruism, then yes.

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Is the cooperating prisoner (in the prisoner's dilemma) being altruistic?

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

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Is the cooperating prisoner (in the prisoner's dilemma) being altruistic?

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Read my post on clarity. First off, there's not a/one "cooperating prisoner" in the prisoner's dilemma. There are two prisoners and four possible outcomes based upon each prisoner's choice of whether to cooperate. Second, even if you discuss the situation in terms of both prisoners and all four possibilities, it does not provide a counter-argument to Utilitarianism.

Scott

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

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Does Utilitarianism require too much from morality?

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I'm not really sure what the question means, but utilitarianism requires someone to make value judgements for another. It's oppression, dressed up as altruism.

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

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utilitarianism requires someone to make value judgements for another

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Ethics is the study of values; you just claimed that all attempts at universal morality are immoral. Even more interesting, you did it by ignoring the assumption of universal morality that allowed you to define making value judgments for another as immoral.

Scott

PS Neither Utilitarianism nor ethics in general require someone to make value judgments for another. However, I gave you the benefit of the doubt and assumed that you meant making value judgments about another.

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

*Implementing* utilitarianism requires someone to make value judgements for another.

Better?

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

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Is the cooperating prisoner (in the prisoner's dilemma) being altruistic?

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Read my post on clarity. First off, there's not a/one "cooperating prisoner" in the prisoner's dilemma. There are two prisoners and four possible outcomes based upon each prisoner's choice of whether to cooperate. Second, even if you discuss the situation in terms of both prisoners and all four possibilities, it does not provide a counter-argument to Utilitarianism.

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I read your post on Clarity... and liked it. But, I'm unclear as to what you are saying in this post.

I am saying that cooperating increases personal happiness, and the total happiness of those involved -- so it doesn't require altruism.

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

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Ethics is the study of values; you just claimed that all attempts at universal morality are immoral.

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No, I didn't.

Re: Philosophy questions - Morality & Moral Theories
 

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*Implementing* utilitarianism requires someone to make value judgements for another.

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Legislating any ethical theory requires us to make value judgments for each other, but that is the nature of law, not morality.

Scott