Moral Agency and Cultural Contexts

The Moral Agent and Contexts

• The human individual is tasked with considering what is right and choosing to act accordingly.
• "Know thyself" is a significant concept in philosophical thought, emphasizing self-awareness.
• Filipino philosopher Ramon C. Reyes' essay "Man and Historical Action" details four factors influencing an individual: physical events, interpersonal relationships, social contexts (including culture), and historical events.
• Individuals are products of forces beyond their control, including past and present circumstances, and characteristics inherited from their families.
• Society and culture heavily influence an individual's sense of self and values.
• One's culture dictates societal norms that shape perception of right and wrong.
• "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" is a common philosophical stance that emphasizes cultural relativism in decision-making.
• Cultural relativism holds that there is no objective truth in morality; each culture has its own standard of right and wrong.
• James Rachels provides a critique of cultural relativism, arguing it confuses descriptive statements of fact with normative claims and that cultures can be morally judged.

Culture and Ethics

• Culture can influence interpretations of morality.
• One's culture shapes societal and personal connections and responsibilities.
• A person is accountable to the norms of their culture.
• Cultural customs and norms can reflect the beliefs and practices of a particular civilization.
• Rachels' counter argument is that just because people believe something, it doesn't make it true.
• Ethics is not determined by one’s society or culture.
• One must use reason when faced with ethical predicaments.
• A key concept is that moral norms can change through time.

Moral Deliberation

• There's a difference between child-like reasoning and mature moral decision-making.
• Kohlberg's theory of moral development outlines six stages, with three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional.
• Preconventional reasoning is focused on self-interest, avoiding punishment or seeking reward.
• Conventional reasoning prioritizes societal expectations and rules to gain approval.
• Postconventional reasoning involves personally determined universal ethical principles.
• The moral agent is the center of moral deliberation.

Moral problems

• Moral problems require rational thought.
• Identifying stakeholders and considering their perspectives is essential for ethical decision-making.
• Fact-checking and verifying information are critical to avoid biases or misinformation.
• Moral dilemmas require consideration of competing values.
• Ethical choices may hinge on the balance of competing interests.

The Non-Human Environment

• Environmental ethics, concerning our responsibility towards non-human entities, is a relatively new field.
• Traditionally, ethics emphasized interpersonal relationships more.
• Utilitarianism extends the concept of pleasure/pain to include animals, suggesting our actions must consider their well-being.
• Natural law theory suggests obligations towards non-human beings by appreciating the value of all creation.