Reasons And Impartiality As Minimum Requirements For Morality PDF

REASONS AND IMPARTIALITY AS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR MORALITY Presented by: Jose Iñigo R. Voz & Avegail B. Espiritu LEARNING OUTCOMES: To define reason and impartiality as minimum requirements for morality.  To apply the 7 steps moral reasoning model and the value clarifi...

REASONS AND IMPARTIALITY AS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR MORALITY Presented by: Jose Iñigo R. Voz & Avegail B. Espiritu LEARNING OUTCOMES: To define reason and impartiality as minimum requirements for morality.  To apply the 7 steps moral reasoning model and the value clarification process. INTRODUCTION The Greek philosopher Aristotle regarded that human beings have a rational soul that makes us different with that of animals and plants. Rationality is the capability for logical thought with the ability to reason towards sound conclusions based on facts and evidence, draw inferences from situations and circumstances, and make sound well- reasoned judgments based on factual information. INTRODUCTION Plants and animals are incapable of complex reasoning and introspection, much more so in distinguishing good from bad and right from wrong. A person is called "rational or reasonable" when his beliefs and actions conform to the dictates of those principles of morality, or when he is subjectively guided by them. INTRODUCTION Reason is also identified with the capacity that enables us to identify "reasons," the particular considerations that count in favor of belief or action. Since human beings are rational, they have "freewill to strive for perfection". By achieving this fulfillment and well-rounded development, they would somehow attain happiness. It follows that in order to be ethical, an individual should decide on actions that properly express his rationality. INTRODUCTION Moral judgments must be backed by the best arguments or reasons out there, not only good reasons or better judgments. Our decisions must be guided as much as possible by reason. Morality requires impartiality with regard to those moral agents affected by a violation of a moral rule. Morality requires the impartial consideration of each individual's interests. INTRODUCTION Impartiality (fair-mindedness) is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, self-interest, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons. According to Rachels (2018), the minimum conception of morality is: Morality is the effort to guide one's conduct by reason that is, to do what there are the best reasons for doing - while giving equal weight to the interest of each individual affected by one's decision. THE 7 STEPS OF MORAL REASONING MODEL 1. Gather the facts, information 2. Determine the ethical issues 3. Determine the principles that have a learning in the case 4. List the alternative 5. Compare the alternatives with the virtues 6. Consider the consequences 7. Make a decision  GATHER THE FACTS, INFORMATION  "The simplest way of clarifying an ethical dilemma is to make sure the facts are clear. Ask: Do you have all the facts that are necessary to make a good decision? What do we know? What do we need to know?" DETERMINE THE ETHICAL ISSUES The competing interests are what create the dilemma. Moral values and virtues must support the competing interests in order for an ethical dilemma to exist. If you cannot identify the underlying values/ virtues then you do not have an ethical dilemma. Often people hold these positions strongly and with passion because of the value/virtue beneath them."  DETERMINE THE PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE A LEARNING IN THE CASE This is similar to identifying the relevant factors (internal and external). "In an ethical dilemma certain values and principles are central to the competing positions. Identify these. Determine if some should be given more weight than others. Ask what the source for the principle is - constitution, culture, natural law, religious tradition... These supplement biblical principles." LIST THE ALTERNATIVE Develop a list of options. "Creatively determine possible courses of action for your dilemma. Some will almost immediately be discarded but generally the more you list the greater potential for coming up with a really good one. It will also help you come up with a broader selection of ideas (even if you still have to go on to step 6). Often here you have to weigh principles and virtues make sure you have a good reason for each weighing."." COMPARE THE ALTERNATIVES WITH THE VIRTUES This step eliminates alternatives as they are weighed by the moral principles which have a bearing on the case. Potentially the issue will be resolved here as all alternatives except one are eliminated. Here you must satisfy all the relevant virtues and values so at least some of the alternatives will be eliminated. CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES "If you disclose the information directly possible consequences include; family feel alienated, cultural values have been violated family may take patient to another hospital patient may 'give up' patient might be happy they are finally being told the truth." If you continue with holding information possible consequences include; patient continues to be fearful and anxious about the treatment patient finds out somehow and trust is compromised -family are happy cultural values are being respected. In general, the following may be used to test the options: (Davis 1999). Harm test Publicity test Defensibility test Reversibility test Colleague test Professional test Organization test MAKE A DECISION Ethical decisions rarely have pain-free solutions it might be you have to choose the solution with the least number of problems/painful consequences. Even when making a "good" decision you might still lose sleep over it!" VALUES CLARIFICATION Values clarification method as a part of the moral reasoning model consists of a series of questions which one may ask himself or others in order to arrive at one's true values, values that he really possesses and acts pon. The following consists of the steps of the values clarification model:Raths, L. et al, 1978) 1. CHOOSING FREELY Did you choose this value freely? Where do you suppose you first got that idea?" or "Are you the only one among your friends who feels this way?" 2. CHOOSING FROM ALTERNATIVES  "What reasons do you have for your choice?" or "How long did you think about this problem before you decided?" 3. CHOOSING AFTER THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION "What would happen if this choice were implemented? If another choice was implemented?" or "What is good about this choice? What could be good about the other choices?" 4. PRIZING AND BEING HAPPY WITH THE CHOICE Are you happy about feeling this way?" or "Why is this important to you?" 5. PRIZING AND WILLING TO AFFIRM THE CHOICE PUBLICLY "Would you be willing to tell the class how you feel?" or“ Should someone who feels like you stand up in public and tell people how he or she feels?" 6. ACTING ON THE CHOICE "What will you do about your choice? What will you do next?“ or "Are you interested in joining this group of people who think the same as you do about this?" 7. ACTING REPEATEDLY IN SOME PATTERN OF LIFE "Have you done anything about it? Will you do it again?" or“ Should you try to get other people interested in this?" THE 7 QUESTIONS CAN BE SUMMED UP INTO 3 BIG CLARIFYING QUESTIONS: 1. Did you choose your action freely from among alternatives after thoughtfully considering the consequences of each alternative; 2) Do you prize or cherish your choice by publicly affirming it and by campaigning for others to choose it?; 3) Do you act on your choice repeatedly and consistently? If the answers to the questions are a YES, then the moral choice or moral decision can be said to be a product of reason. CRITIQUE: CREATIVE RESPONSIBILITY One significant guide to the moral reasoning process is what ethicist like Fr. Gorospe (1974) termed as "creative responsibility," which has following characteristics: 1. Involves positive human action; 2. Creates a response; 3. Means to choose from among many possible fitting responses; 4. Individual must be in constant dialogue with the community. THANK YOU FOR LISTINING!