Understanding Ethics in Philosophy

Study Notes

What is Ethics?

Originates from the Greek word "ethos", meaning custom, characteristic, or habitual way of doing things
Equivalent to the Latin word "moris", from which the adjective "moral" is derived
Study of morality (moral philosophy), a branch of philosophy that questions the goodness and badness of an act
Difficult discipline because it changes over time

History of Ethics

Greece is considered the birthplace of philosophy
Greek wise men were recognized as the "first natural scientists" for their efforts to understand nature through theoretical experiments
Socrates redirected the focus of philosophy from the natural world to the human person
Plato, a student of Socrates, further enhanced the ethical orientation of philosophy in his dialogues
Aristotle, a student of Plato, carried on the work of Socrates and Plato, as seen in Nicomachean Ethics

Types of Ethics

Normative ethics: questions the good or bad of an action
Metaethics: digs into the morality of ethical claims

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves being one's own critic, rather than being critical of others
A critical thinker acquires the disposition and skills to be their own critic
Involves uncovering many aspects of a given problem
Thinking in the ordinary mode is considered first-order thinking
Higher-order thinking involves reflection, assessment, and interpretation

Intellectual Standards

9 elements of ethical reasoning:
Clarity
Accuracy
Precision
Relevance
Depth
Breadth
Logic
Significance
Fairness

Egocentrism

The tendency to regard one's own personal opinion as the only correct one
Failure to recognize or entertain opinions of others, especially those that contradict one's own claims
Can lead to sociocentrism when applied on a wider context
Signs of egocentrism:
Always needing to be right
Constantly wanting more
Focusing only on oneself
Disliking others' successes
Setting unrealistic goals
Lacking empathy

Description

Explore the concept of ethics, derived from the Greek word ethos meaning custom, and its connection to morality. Learn how ethics is a branch of philosophy that questions the goodness and badness of actions, with roots in ancient Greece.