ABSTRACT
The document entails a fundamental approach
to African morality and James Rachels:
Elements of Moral Philosophy, chapters 7-12.
Mr. Majal
Philosophy 144
MORAL
PHILOSOPHY
Summary
,Contents
Philosophy 144 – Study Notes ............................................................................................................................. 3
African Moral Theory....................................................................................................................................... 3
Ethics in Africa and Aristotle some points of contrast ................................................................................ 3
Abstract ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Traditionally sub-Saharan and the classically Greek ................................................................................... 3
Afro-communitarianism .............................................................................................................................. 3
Individualism in Aristotle ............................................................................................................................. 4
Objections and replies ................................................................................................................................. 5
Ubuntu for morality, Aristotle for ethics ..................................................................................................... 6
Towards An African Moral Theory................................................................................................................... 7
An African Ethics .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Metz’s project: Finding an integrating principle for African moral theory. ................................................ 7
Beliefs of African Ubuntu Morality .............................................................................................................. 7
Ubuntu beliefs ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Why differences between Africa and the West? ........................................................................................ 8
Six competing interpretations of Ubuntu.................................................................................................... 8
Togetherness
Conclusion: The moral principle of Ubuntu................................................................................................. 9
Evaluating principle ..................................................................................................................................... 9
James Rachels: Elements of Moral Philosophy (4th Edition)................................................................................ 9
Chapter 12 – Virtue Ethics ............................................................................................................................... 9
The Ethics of Virtue and the Ethics of Right Action ..................................................................................... 9
Should we return to the Ethics of virtue? ................................................................................................. 10
The virtues ................................................................................................................................................. 10
What is a virtue?........................................................................................................................................ 10
What do these virtues consist of? ............................................................................................................. 10
Why are virtues important? ...................................................................................................................... 11
Are virtues the same for everyone? .......................................................................................................... 12
Some Advantages of Virtue Ethics............................................................................................................. 12
The Problem of Incompleteness ................................................................................................................ 13
Virtue and Conduct (radical virtue theorist way of what we ought to do) ............................................... 13
The Problem of Incompleteness ................................................................................................................ 13
Is there a virtue that matches every morally good reason for doing something? .................................... 14
1|Page
, Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 14
Chapter 9: Are there absolute moral rules? .................................................................................................. 14
Summary.................................................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 10: Kant and Respect for Person ..................................................................................................... 15
Summary.................................................................................................................................................... 15
Chapter 7: The Utilitarian Approach ............................................................................................................. 16
Chapter 8: The Debate over Utilitarianism.................................................................................................... 16
Chapter 11: The Idea of a Social Contract ..................................................................................................... 17
What justifies authority? ........................................................................................................................... 17
Social contract theory of State (political) Authority .................................................................................. 18
Why agree to the creation of such an authority (the state)? .................................................................... 18
State of Nature .......................................................................................................................................... 18
Why is a state of nature highly undesirable for all? .................................................................................. 18
Why is government authority legitimate according to social contract theory? ....................................... 18
Why should I obey the law? ...................................................................................................................... 18
Social contract theory of Morality ................................................................................................................. 18
Some possible implications of the Social Contract Theory ........................................................................... 19
When is it permissible to break the rules/laws? ........................................................................................... 19
Rachels considers two objections to the Social Contract Theory: ................................................................ 19
Chapter 6: Ethical Egoism .............................................................................................................................. 19
Arguments for ethical egoism ................................................................................................................... 19
Arguments against Ethical egoism ............................................................................................................ 20
2|Page
The document entails a fundamental approach
to African morality and James Rachels:
Elements of Moral Philosophy, chapters 7-12.
Mr. Majal
Philosophy 144
MORAL
PHILOSOPHY
Summary
,Contents
Philosophy 144 – Study Notes ............................................................................................................................. 3
African Moral Theory....................................................................................................................................... 3
Ethics in Africa and Aristotle some points of contrast ................................................................................ 3
Abstract ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Traditionally sub-Saharan and the classically Greek ................................................................................... 3
Afro-communitarianism .............................................................................................................................. 3
Individualism in Aristotle ............................................................................................................................. 4
Objections and replies ................................................................................................................................. 5
Ubuntu for morality, Aristotle for ethics ..................................................................................................... 6
Towards An African Moral Theory................................................................................................................... 7
An African Ethics .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Metz’s project: Finding an integrating principle for African moral theory. ................................................ 7
Beliefs of African Ubuntu Morality .............................................................................................................. 7
Ubuntu beliefs ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Why differences between Africa and the West? ........................................................................................ 8
Six competing interpretations of Ubuntu.................................................................................................... 8
Togetherness
Conclusion: The moral principle of Ubuntu................................................................................................. 9
Evaluating principle ..................................................................................................................................... 9
James Rachels: Elements of Moral Philosophy (4th Edition)................................................................................ 9
Chapter 12 – Virtue Ethics ............................................................................................................................... 9
The Ethics of Virtue and the Ethics of Right Action ..................................................................................... 9
Should we return to the Ethics of virtue? ................................................................................................. 10
The virtues ................................................................................................................................................. 10
What is a virtue?........................................................................................................................................ 10
What do these virtues consist of? ............................................................................................................. 10
Why are virtues important? ...................................................................................................................... 11
Are virtues the same for everyone? .......................................................................................................... 12
Some Advantages of Virtue Ethics............................................................................................................. 12
The Problem of Incompleteness ................................................................................................................ 13
Virtue and Conduct (radical virtue theorist way of what we ought to do) ............................................... 13
The Problem of Incompleteness ................................................................................................................ 13
Is there a virtue that matches every morally good reason for doing something? .................................... 14
1|Page
, Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 14
Chapter 9: Are there absolute moral rules? .................................................................................................. 14
Summary.................................................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 10: Kant and Respect for Person ..................................................................................................... 15
Summary.................................................................................................................................................... 15
Chapter 7: The Utilitarian Approach ............................................................................................................. 16
Chapter 8: The Debate over Utilitarianism.................................................................................................... 16
Chapter 11: The Idea of a Social Contract ..................................................................................................... 17
What justifies authority? ........................................................................................................................... 17
Social contract theory of State (political) Authority .................................................................................. 18
Why agree to the creation of such an authority (the state)? .................................................................... 18
State of Nature .......................................................................................................................................... 18
Why is a state of nature highly undesirable for all? .................................................................................. 18
Why is government authority legitimate according to social contract theory? ....................................... 18
Why should I obey the law? ...................................................................................................................... 18
Social contract theory of Morality ................................................................................................................. 18
Some possible implications of the Social Contract Theory ........................................................................... 19
When is it permissible to break the rules/laws? ........................................................................................... 19
Rachels considers two objections to the Social Contract Theory: ................................................................ 19
Chapter 6: Ethical Egoism .............................................................................................................................. 19
Arguments for ethical egoism ................................................................................................................... 19
Arguments against Ethical egoism ............................................................................................................ 20
2|Page
