What is Midgley trying to illustrate with the example of the samurai?
First she gives the example of a Samurai trying out his new sword by cutting someone else in half. The moral isolationist would say that we can’t judge the Samurai because we are not living in medieval Japan. (Midgley, 25) Then Midgley says that if moral isolationism is right, other cultures can’t blame us either.
What does Midgley mean by moral isolationism?
Moral Isolationism is the view that we can never understand any culture except our own, so we cannot make moral judgments about other cultures. According to Midgley, if moral isolationism is true, we can’t judge any culture without understanding that culture.
What does Midgley think is the basis for criticizing other cultures?
What does Midgley think is the basis for criticizing other cultures? Midgley suggests that we can criticize other cultures beacuse we are already able to define moral judgments. If we can criticize our own society and culture then we can use the same standards or the same manner in criticizeing other customs.
What is Midgley’s example of trying out one’s new sword intended to show?
What is Midgley’s example of “trying out one’s new sword” intended to show? Midgley’s example of “trying out one’s new sword” is intended to show how difficult it is for us to understand a custom of a different culture using our own culture’s moral framework.
Can we praise another culture what does Midgley say about this question?
Midgley argues that it is impossible to praise or blame others, if we could not in principle: According to Midgley, if we can’t judge other cultures we cannot judge our own because: a. other societies provide the range of comparison.
Who does Midgley identify as an immoralist?
Nietzsche
What does moral reasoning involve?
Moral reasoning applies critical analysis to specific events to determine what is right or wrong, and what people ought to do in a particular situation. Moral reasoning typically applies logic and moral theories, such as deontology or utilitarianism, to specific situations or dilemmas.
What are the three steps in the moral reasoning process?
Kohlberg identified three levels of moral reasoning: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. Each level is associated with increasingly complex stages of moral development.
How do we determine what is morally right and wrong?
Right and wrong is determined by the overall goodness (utility) of the consequences of action. Utilitarianism is a Consequentialist moral theory. Basic ideas: All action leads to some end.
How do humans know right from wrong?
It is the idea that we know the ethical value of right and wrong by listening to our conscience. That still, small voice inside is what tells us whether something is right or wrong.
What is utilitarianism in simple terms?
Utilitarianism is a theory of morality, which advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and opposes actions that cause unhappiness or harm. Utilitarianism would say that an action is right if it results in the happiness of the greatest number of people in a society or a group.
How does Mill determine which are higher and lower pleasures?
Mill delineates how to differentiate between higher- and lower-quality pleasures: A pleasure is of higher quality if people would choose it over a different pleasure even if it is accompanied by discomfort, and if they would not trade it for a greater amount of the other pleasure.