Chapter 13. Thinking Critically about Right and Wrong

In the previous chapters, we focused on “What is True” and “Who to Believe.” Now, we turn to the most practical application of logic: What to Do. This chapter explores Moral Reasoning, the process of applying critical thinking tools to ethical dilemmas to determine what is right, just, and good.

Summary

This chapter…

• Defines Morality, distinguishing it from legality, etiquette, and mere personal preference.

• Examines Moral Relativism, challenging the idea that “right and wrong” are just matters of opinion.

• Introduces Normative Ethical Theories, categorized into Action-based (what we do) and Agent-based (who we are).

• Analyzes Action-based Ethics, including Consequentialism (Utilitarianism) and Deontology (Kantian Ethics).

• Explores Agent-based Ethics, including Virtue Ethics and Care Ethics.

• Applies Ethical Reasoning to modern issues like predictive policing and reproductive rights.

Key Terms

• Agent-Based Theory: An ethical framework that focuses on the character and motives of the individual (e.g., Virtue Ethics) rather than the action itself.

• Care Ethics: A feminist ethical perspective that emphasizes the importance of relationships, empathy, and compassion over abstract rules.

• Categorical Imperative: Kant’s moral law: “Act only on that maxim which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”

• Consequentialism: The view that the morality of an action is determined solely by its results or outcomes.

• Cultural Relativism: The belief that right and wrong are determined by the traditions and beliefs of a specific culture.

• Deontology: An ethical framework that emphasizes duties, rules, and intentions over consequences.

• Divine Command Theory: The view that right and wrong are determined by the decrees of a deity.

• Ethical Egoism: The theory that one’s only moral obligation is to promote one’s own self-interest.

• Golden Mean: Aristotle’s principle that virtue is the balance between the extremes of deficiency and excess.

• Moral Objectivism: The position that there are moral principles that are valid for everyone, regardless of personal or cultural opinion.

• Normative Ethics: The branch of ethics that attempts to establish the “norms” or standards for right and wrong behavior.

• Subjective Relativism: The view that right and wrong are determined solely by the individual’s personal preferences or feelings.

• Utilitarianism: The consequentialist theory that we should act in a way that produces the “Greatest Good for the Greatest Number.”

• Virtue: A stable character trait or habit that allows a person to act excellently and achieve Eudaimonia (flourishing).