Introduction to Ethical Studies - Lander University

381 Pages·2003·3.71 MB·English

Introduction to Ethical
Studies
An Open Source Reader
Lee Archie
John G. Archie
Introduction to Ethical Studies: An Open Source Reader
byLeeArchie
byJohnG.Archie
Version0.11Edition
PublishedAugust,2003
Copyright©2003byLeeArchie;JohnG.Archie
GDFL
Thecurrentversion,Version0.11,ofthisopensourcetextbookinphilosophyisa
work-in-progressandisbeingreleasedindraftform.Thecollaboratorswouldbegratefulfor
correctionsorothersuggestionstothispreliminarydraft.Pleaseaddresscommentsto
[email protected]
.
Permissionisgrantedtocopy,distributeand/ormodifythisdocumentunderthetermsofthe
GNUFreeDocumentationLicense,Version1.2oranylaterversionpublishedbytheFree
SoftwareFoundation;withnoInvariantSections,noFront-CoverTexts,andnoBack-Cover
Texts.Acopyofthelicenseisincludedinthesectionentitled“GNUFreeDocumentation
License.”
ImageCredits
AmericanSociologicalAssociation(http://http://www.asanet.org/).CharlesA.Ellwood.
AnnenbergRareBookandManuscriptLibrary
(http://newsite.library.upenn.edu/collections/rbm/).UniversityofPennsylvania.Adaptations:
CharlesDarwinwithFriedrichWöhler.
Antropologica(http://www.helsinki.fi/antropologica/),Helsinki,Finland.EdwardWestermarck
fromTheEdwardWestermarckMemorialLectures.
AntiquitiesProject(http://www.ironorchid.com/antiquity/).Aristotle;Epictetus;DavidHume;
ImmanuelKant;MapoftheRomanEmpire;JohnStuartMill;NeroPersecutingtheChristians;
Plato;Socrates.
www.thais.it(http://www.thais.it).Balestrini,Bruno.TheErechtheionandParthenon,(420-440
B.C.),Acropolis;Acropolis(about500B.C.)viewfromnorthwest.Bypermission.
TheEdwardWestermarckMemorialLectures1983-1997.EdwardWestermarck.
GNUFreeDocumentationLicense(http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html).GNUPhilosophical
Gnu.
Goodrich,S.G.AHistoryofAllNations,(NewYork:J.C.Derby&N.C.Miller,1854),710.
AGreekGalley.
IIHR—HydroscienceandEngineering:HistoryofHydraulicsCollection
(http://www.iihr.uiowa.edu/products/history/hoh/).UniversityofIowa.Pascal’sTraitezde
l’EquilibredesLiqueursetdelaPesanteurdelaMassedel’Air.(detail).
H.D.Francis,InMemorium.Cambridge:privatestamp,1928.JohnVenn.
GeorgeM.Hopkins.ExperimentalScience.Vol.1,Munn&Co.,1903.DetailofMountof
Newton’sRingsfortheMicroscope.
IndiaPost.BertrandRussell:stampcommemorating100yearsbirth-anniversary.Oct.16,1972.
LibraryofCongress(http://lcweb2.loc.gov).P&POnlineCatalog.Cathedral,Marseilles,
France(LC-DIG-ppmsc-05106);UllswaterandEamontfromPooleyBridge,RiverDistrict,
England;Dartford,Messrs.Burroughs,Wellcome&’sFactory,Londonandsuburbs,England
(LC-DIG-ppmsc-08610);InteriorofBank,Creedmoor,NorthCarolina(LC-USF34-029264);
FortDefiance,Arizona(PANUSGEOG-Arizonano.2);UnionTerrace,Aberdeen,Scotland
(LC_DIG-ppmsc-07514);MarischalCollege,Aberdeen,Scotland(LC-DIG-ppmsc-07515);
ReligioussignonhighwaybetweenColumbusandAugusta,Georgia(LC-USF34-056459-D);
TheQuay,Helsinki,Finland(LC-DIG-ppmsc-03807);TrinityCollege,Cambridge
(LC-DIG-ppmsc-08091);CrowdsatSquires(PANSUBJECTSportsno.16);Socratesstanding
beforeseatedgroup,engravingsbyL.P.Boitard(LC-USZ61-1502andLC-USZ61-1502);
ViewsfromMorocco(LC-G396-T-0011,LCG396-T-0011);TrinityCollege,Cambridge
(LC-DIG-ppmsc-08091);TheMadelineandRueRoyale,Paris,France
(LC-DIG-ppmsc-05184);AlbertCamus(LC-USZ62-108028);HollisHall,HarvardCollege
(HABS,MASS,9-CAMB,3D-);TheCemetary,Algiers,Algeria(LC-DIG-ppmsc-0552);Dr.
CharlesA.Eastman(Ohiyesa)(LC-USZ62-102275);EagleFeatherandBaby;Zitkala
(GertrudeBonnin)DakotaSioux(LC-USZ62-119349);Fasting(LC-USZ62-99611);Winter
Camp,SiouxTepee(LC-USZ62-76221);CrowDog,SouixIndian(LC-USZ62-102187);Prayer
totheMysteryandInvocation(LC-USZ62-69325andLC-USZ62-51434);FishandVegetable
Market,Könisberg,EastPrussia(LC-DIG-ppmsca-00741);UniversityandRoyalGardens,
Königsberg,EastPrussia(LC-DIG-ppmsca-00738);Rauschen,Königsberg,EastPrussia
(LC-DIG-ppmsca-00743);TheTivoliPark,Copenhagen,Denmark(LC-DIG-pmsc-05757);
RoyalTheater,Copenhagen,Denmark(LC-DIG-pmsc-05751);Parthenon-—NearView
(LC-USZ62-44291);TheAcropolis,(Mt.Lycabettusinbackground)(LC-USZ62-44291);The
PrisonofSocratesandStatueofPan,TheatreBacchus(LC-USZ62-115215and
LC-USZ62-10897);Parthenon,viewfromsoutheast(LC-USZ62-44292);ElSocrates,A.Bijur,
1859andThePrisonofSocrates,Athens,Greece(LC-USZ62-39939andLC-USZ62-115215);
TheParthenon,westandeastsides(LC-USZ62-94169);(EdinburghCanongateTolbooth1591
andMelroseAbbey(LC-USZ62-109096,LC-USZ62-109099);HolyroodPalace,Edinburgh
(LC-DIG-ppmsc-07584);Athens,Greece,400BC(LC-H814-2654-002x);Parthenon
(LC-USZ262-44291);GeneralViewfromMustapha,I,Algiers,Algeria
(LC-DIG-ppmsc-00510);TheParthenon,farview,Athens,Greece(LC-USZ262-44291);
Athens,Greece,400BC,BookillustrationbyTheodorHorydczak(LC-H814-2654-002x);The
Parthenon,farview,Athens,Greece(LC-USZ262-44292);“VanderWerf”Park,Leyden,
Holland(LC-DIG-ppmsc-05827)TheEmbankment,Rotterdam,Holland
(LC-DIG-ppmsc-05842);ATeaResaleEstablishmentnearLincoln’sInnFields
(LC-USZ62-77448-E);TheRoyalGallery,HouseofLords,London,England
(LC-USZ62-77448);HighStreet,Oxford,England(LC-DIG-ppmsc-08764);Housesof
ParlimentfromtheRiver(LC-DIG-ppmsc-08560);TheUniversityofBonn,theRhine
(LC-DIG-ppmsc-00789);TheBoatLanding,LakeChautauqua,NewYork(Lot12006);
SwitchtenderonPennsylvanniaRailroad(LibraryofCongress,LC-USW33-025829-C);Three
PeasantsWalkingtoMarket,Hungary(LC-USZ62-113783);SteelworkerwithDaughter,
Ambridge,Pennsylvania(LC-USF34-062196-D);HarvardGate,HarvardCollege(Lot12003);
(HarvardMedicalCollege,Boston,Mass.(LC-D4-34452);Scenefrom"Othello"withPaul
RobesonandMargaretWebster(LC-USW33-054945-C)CollegeoftheCityofNewYork
(LC-D4-500724).
LibraryofCongressRareBook&SpecialCollectionsDivision
(http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/rarebook/).PersecutionofCatholicsbyHugenots;FrightfulOutrates
perpetratedbytheHugenotsinFrance;MassacreFaitaSensenBourgogneparlaPopulace.
MetropolitanMuseumofArt(http://www.metmuseum.org).TheDeathofSocrates(1787),
Jacques-LouisDavid(French,1748-1825)CatherineLorillardWolfeCollection;WolfFund,
1931(31.45).
FridtjofNansen,FarthestNorth,Harper&Row,1897.EngravingofNansen,frontspiece;
(detail)photographofFram,Nansen’sship.
NationalÆronautics&SpaceAdministration
(http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-earth.html).NSSDCPhotoGallery.
ViewofNorthAmericafromApollo16(IDAS16-118-18873);SpectrumJPL;AsteriodIda
(IDP-42964).
NationalOceanic&AtmosphericAdministrationPhotoLibrary
(http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/index.html).TabulaeRudolphinae:quibusastronomicae... by
JohannesKepler,1571-1630(NOAAlibr0312);MariaMitchell(IDtheb3534);Saxton
Self-RegisteringTideGague(IDtheb116)>
NationalInstituteofMentalHealth(http://www.nimh.nih.gov/),NationalCenterforHealth
Statistics.U.S.SuicideRatesbyAge,Gender,andRacialGroup,03.28.2003
DenisonOlmsted.AnIntroductiontoNaturalPhilosophy,CharlesCollins,1844,341.
MechanicalEquivalentofHeat.
GeorgeA.Peltz.Grandpa’sStories.Hubbard,1885,285.JonahPreachingtoNineveh.
Smith,William.AHistoryofGreece.Boston:Hickling,Swan,andBrown,1855.TheBemaof
thePnyxatAthens,xxv;HomerEnshrined,38;CoinofAthens,107;ThePropylæaofthe
AcropolisRestored,255;Erechthe¯umRestored,fromSouthwest,356;SideViewofThese¯um,
593.
SmithsonianInstitution.BeeonHive(detail)
StateHermitageMuseum,St.Petersburg.AbrahamandIsaac.FerdinandBol,etching,17th
Century.
ThoemmesPress:HistoryofIdeas(http://www.thoemmes.com/gallery/).AlexanderBain;
AugustComte;JohnStuartMill;BaruchSpinoza;WilliamJames;BlaisePascal;Søren
Kierkegaard;Socrates;DavidHume;ReliefofPlato.
CentreforSocialPhilosophy(http://www.unipv.it/deontica/gallering.htm).UniversitádiPavia
Galleries.GeorgeEdwardMoore,Jean-PaulSartre.
MacTutorHistoryofMathematicsArchive
(http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/).UniversityofSt.Andrews.
FredrichEngels;Plato.
VaticanMuseums(http://vatican.va/museums/patrons/index.htm).TheSchoolofAthens,
Raphael.
PortraitsofWell-knownEconomists(http://www.econ.duke.edu/Economists/).TheWarrenJ.
SamuelsPortraitCollectionatDukeUniversity.JeremyBentham;AugustComte.
HubbardWinslow.MoralPhilosophy;Analytical,Synthetical,andPractical.NewYork:D.
AppletonandCompany,1856.Titlepage.
SomeCopyrightConsiderations
Allessaysandimagesinthiswork,withtheexceptionsmentionedbelow,arebelievedtobein
thepublicdomainorarepublishedhereunderthefairuseprovisionoftheUScopyrightlaw.
Responsibilityformakinganindependentlegalassessmentofanitemandsecuringany
necessarypermissionsultimatelyrestswithanyonedesiringtoreusetheitemundertoGDFL
(http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html).Thewrittenpermissionofthecopyrightownersand/or
otherrightsholders(suchaspublicityand/orprivacyrights)isrequiredfordistribution,
reproduction,orotheruseofprotecteditemsbeyondthatallowedbyfairuseorotherstatutory
exemptions.Anindependentlegalassessmenthasbeenmadeafterasearchforcopyrightstatus
oftextandimages.NorepresentationastocopyrightstatusoutsidetheUnitedStatesismade.
Ifanerroroccursinspiteofthegoodfaithefforts,theoffendingitemwillberemovedupon
noticeto
[email protected]
.
TheU.S.CopyrightOffice(http://www.loc.gov/copyright/)Circular22pointsout,“Evenif
youconcludethataworkisinthepublicdomainintheUnitedStates,thisdoesnotnecessarily
meanthatyouarefreetouseitinothercountries.Everynationhasitsownlawsgoverningthe
lengthandscopeofcopyrightprotection,andtheseareapplicabletousesoftheworkwithin
thatnation’sborders.Thus,theexpirationorlossofcopyrightprotectionintheUnitedStates
maystillleavetheworkfullyprotectedagainstunauthorizeduseinothercountries.”
Table of Contents
“Preface” ..................................................................................................i
WhyOpenSource?............................................................................i
ANoteaboutSelections..................................................................ii
PartI.TheNatureofEthicalInquiry.....................................................i
1.“ConscienceDeterminesWhat’sRight”byHubbardWinslow....1
IdeasofInterestfromMoralPhilosophy.................................2
TheReadingSelectionfromMoralPhilosophy.......................2
Conscience.......................................................................3
ConscienceHasThreeFunctions....................................4
FirstFunctionofConscience...........................................4
SecondFunctionofConscience......................................5
ThirdFunctionofConscience.........................................5
RelatedIdeas............................................................................7
TopicsWorthInvestigating.......................................................8
2.“ConscienceIsLearned”byAlexanderBain...............................9
IdeasofInterestfromMoralScience.....................................10
TheReadingSelectionfromMoralScience..........................10
[NatureofConscience]..................................................10
[ConscienceFormedbyAssociation]............................11
RelatedIdeas..........................................................................15
TopicsWorthInvestigating.....................................................16
3.“ItDoesn’tPaytoBeReligious”byG.W.Foote.......................17
IdeasofInterestfromInfidelDeath-Beds..............................18
TheReadingSelectionfromInfidelDeath-Beds...................19
[ReligiousUseofDyingRepentance]...........................19
[PsychologicalAspectofDying]..................................19
RelatedIdeas..........................................................................23
TopicsWorthInvestigating.....................................................24
4.“EthicsAreCulturallyRelative”byCharlesA.Ellwood...........25
IdeasofInterestfrom“TheStudyofSociety”.......................26
TheReadingSelectionfrom“TheStudyofSociety”............27
TheStudyofSociety.....................................................27
TheBearingoftheTheoryofEvolution.......................28
RelatedIdeas..........................................................................35
TopicsWorthInvestigating.....................................................36
5.“EthicsAreRelative”byEdwardWestermarck.........................37
IdeasofInterestfromEthicalRelativity................................38
vi
TheReadingSelectionfromEthicalRelativity......................39
[EthicsIsNotNormative].............................................39
[MoralPrinciplesAreNotSelf-Evident]......................40
[WhetherGodIstheSourceofRight]...........................43
[MoralSubjectivismIsNotArbitrary]..........................43
[MoralJudgmentsAreNotObjective]..........................45
RelatedIdeas..........................................................................46
TopicsWorthInvestigating.....................................................47
6.“TheObjectivityofMoralJudgements”byG.E.Moore...........48
IdeasofInterestfromEthics..................................................49
TheReadingSelectionfromEthics.......................................50
[Emotivism:IsEthicsBasedonFeelings?]...................50
[IsEthicsBasedonWhatSocietyThinks?]..................54
[IsEthicsSociologicallyBased?]..................................56
[Relativism:IsEthicsBasedonWhatPeopleThink?].57
RelatedIdeas..........................................................................58
TopicsWorthInvestigating.....................................................58
PartII.FreeWillandDeterminism.....................................................60
7.SomeVarieitesofDeterminism..................................................62
PhilosophicalEthics...............................................................62
VarietiesofDeterminism.......................................................63
8.“PositivePhilosophy”byAugustComte....................................67
IdeasofInterestfromCoursdePhilosophiePositive............68
TheReadingSelectionfromCoursdePhilosophiePositive.68
[FundamentalLawofDevelopment].............................69
[TheTheologicalState].................................................69
[TheMetaphysicalState]...............................................70
[ThePositiveState].......................................................70
RelatedIdeas..........................................................................71
TopicsWorthInvestigating.....................................................71
9.“ScienceofNaturalProcesses”byFrederickEngels.................73
IdeasofInterestfromLudwigFeuerbach..............................75
TheReadingSelectionfromLudwigFeuerbach...................75
[UnificationofScienceofNaturalProcesses]...............75
[TransformationofEnergyandMotion].......................76
[LifeExplainedbyScientificLaw]...............................77
[OriginsoftheVarietiesofOrganisms].........................77
[OriginofLife]..............................................................78
[ScientificMaterialism].................................................79
IntroductiontoEthicalStudies:AnOpen-SourceReader vii
RelatedIdeas..........................................................................79
TopicsWorthInvestigating.....................................................81
10.“AScienceofHumanNature”by JohnStuartMill.................83
IdeasofInterestfromASystemofLogic...............................84
TheReadingSelectionfromASystemofLogic.....................85
[HumanNatureasaSubjectofScience].......................85
[TheTheoryoftheTides]..............................................86
[AspectsofaScienceofHumanNature]......................87
[TheScienceofHumanNature]....................................89
RelatedIdeas..........................................................................89
TopicsWorthInvestigating.....................................................90
11.“StatisticsasAppliedtoHumanAction”byJohnVenn...........91
IdeasofInterestfromTheLogicofChance...........................92
TheReadingSelectionfromTheLogicofChance................93
[TheApplicationofLogictoHumanConduct]............93
[CritiqueofMill’sScienceofHumanNature]..............95
[ExactPredictionIsCompatiblewithFreeWill]..........96
[AnIndependentObserverCanBePractically
Impossible]...........................................................97
[GeneralLawsAreNotDeterministic].........................98
[TheFatalisticFallacy]................................................100
RelatedIdeas........................................................................103
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................104
12.“HumanBeingsareDetermined”by BaruchSpinoza...........105
IdeasofInterestfromTheEthics.........................................107
TheReadingSelectionfromTheEthics..............................107
[TheUnknownCausesofHumanAction]..................107
[MeaninglessnessoftheMind’sControlofBody].....108
[SimilarStatesofMindandBody]..............................108
[InfiniteComplexityofNature]...................................109
[TheIllusoryNatureofFreeDecisions]......................109
[DecisionDefined]......................................................110
[NatureofHumanAction]..........................................110
[TheIdeaofFreeWill]................................................111
RelatedIdeas........................................................................111
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................112
13.“TheWilltoBelieve”byWilliamJames................................115
IdeasofInterestfromTheWilltoBelieve............................116
TheReadingSelectionfromTheWilltoBelieve.................117
viii IntroductiontoEthicalStudies:AnOpen-SourceReader
[HypothesesandOptions]...........................................117
[James’sThesis]..........................................................119
[OptionsinScience]....................................................119
[DiscoveryinScience]................................................120
[MoralBeliefs]............................................................121
[SocialRelations]........................................................122
[ReligiousQuestions]..................................................123
RelatedIdeas........................................................................125
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................126
PartIII.ReligiousandDutyEthics....................................................129
14.“TheWager”by BlaisePascal...............................................131
IdeasofInterestfromthePensées........................................132
TheReadingSelectionfromPensées...................................133
RelatedIdeas........................................................................136
15.“TheSouloftheIndian”by Ohiyesa.....................................137
IdeasofInterestfromTheSoulofanIndian.......................138
TheReadingSelectionfromTheSoulofanIndian.............139
SilencetheCorner-StoneofCharacter........................139
BasicIdeasofMorality...............................................140
“GiveAllorNothing!”................................................143
RulesforanHonorableWarfare..................................145
AnIndianConceptionofCourage...............................148
RelatedIdeas........................................................................149
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................150
16.“ActinAccordancewithUniversalLaw”byImmanuelKant151
ImportantIdeasfromFundamentalPrinciplesofthe
MetaphysicofMorals..................................................152
ReadingSelectionfromtheFundamentalPrinciplesofthe
MetaphysicofMorals..................................................153
[TheGoodWill]..........................................................153
[ActionsfortheSakeofDuty]....................................157
[DutyasRespectforLaw]...........................................160
[CategoricalImperative]..............................................162
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................166
17.“TruthisFaith”bySørenKierkegaard...................................168
IdeasofInterestfromFearandTrembling..........................169
TheReadingSelectionfromFearandTrembling................170
Introduction.................................................................170
APanegyriconAbraham............................................171
IntroductiontoEthicalStudies:AnOpen-SourceReader ix
PreliminaryExpectoration...........................................174
RelatedIdeas........................................................................183
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................183
PartIV.SearchforHappiness............................................................185
18.“TheSocraticParadox”by Plato...........................................187
IdeasofInterestfromProtagoras........................................189
ReadingfromTheProtagoras..............................................189
[DoAllVirtuesImplyKnowledge?]...........................189
[PleasureandGood]....................................................193
[KnowledgeandPleasure]].........................................195
[EthicalErrorasIgnorance]........................................200
[CanVirtueBeTaught?]..............................................202
RelatedIdeas........................................................................209
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................210
19.“PleasureistheGood”by Epicurus.......................................212
IdeasofInterestfrom“TheLifeofEpicurus”.....................213
TheReadingSelectionfrom“TheLifeofEpicurus”.........214
EpicurustoMenœceus,Greeting................................214
[FundamentalMaxims]...............................................219
RelatedIdeas........................................................................225
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................226
20.WeShouldValueWhat’sInOurControlby Epictetus...........227
IdeasofInterestfromTheEnchiridion................................228
TheReadingSelectionfromTheEnchiridion.....................229
RelatedIdeas........................................................................234
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................236
21.“EgoismIsMistaken”byDavidHume..................................237
IdeasofInterestfrom“OfSelf-Love”.................................238
TheReadingSelectionfrom“OfSelf-Love”.......................239
[TheSelf-InterestHypothesis]....................................239
[CasesofBenevolence]...............................................240
[PresuppositionofSimplicity].....................................242
[PleasureNotDirectlySought]...................................244
RelatedIdeas........................................................................246
TopicsWorthInvestigating...................................................246
22.“WhatistheLifeofExcellence?”by Aristotle.....................248
IdeasofInterestfromtheNichomacheanEthics.................249
TheReadingSelectionfromtheNichomacheanEthics.......250
BookI[TheGoodforMan]........................................250
x IntroductiontoEthicalStudies:AnOpen-SourceReader