Rosss Ethic of Prima Facie Duties A nonabsolutist version of ethical pluralism Prima facie duty an excellent permanent nonabsolute reason to do or refrain from something Rosss view ID: 1047482
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1. Chapter 16: Ethical Pluralism: Prima Facie Duties and Ethical Particularism
2. Ross's Ethic of Prima Facie DutiesA non-absolutist version of ethical pluralism.Prima facie duty: an excellent, permanent, non-absolute reason to do or refrain from something.Ross's view:We have many prima facie duties.Each is fundamental.Each can be outweighed by competing reasons on any particular occasion.
3. Ross's List of Prima Facie DutiesReparations: repairing harm that we have done.Gratitude: appropriately acknowledging benefits that others have given us.Justice: ensuring that virtue is rewarded and vice punished.Beneficence: enhancing the intelligence, virtue, or pleasure of others.Self-improvement: making oneself more intelligent or virtuous.Fidelity: keeping our promises, being faithful to our word.Non-maleficence: preventing harm to others.
4. Advantages of Ross's ViewAccommodates the sense that there is more than a single fundamental ethical consideration.Explains why we are sometimes permitted to break the moral rules (because they are non-absolute).Explains the existence of moral conflict.
5. Advantages of Ross's View (2)Explains why regret is sometimes appropriate, even when one has done nothing wrong.Addresses absolutist arguments:The Argument from Contradiction.The Argument from Disaster Prevention.The Argument from Irrationality.
6. How Do We Know the Fundamental Moral Rules?Two questionsHow do we know what our prima-facie duties are?How do we know what to do when our prima-facie duties conflict?
7. How Do We Know the Fundamental Moral Rules? (2)Ross insists that the fundamental moral rules are self-evidentSelf-evidence: A claim is self-evident just in case it is true, and adequately understanding it is enough to make you justified in believing it.
8. How Do We Know the Fundamental Moral Rules? (3)When our fundamental duties conflict, Ross insists that there is not a mechanical procedure to decide which action is right.We must rely on our best judgment.We cannot be certain what’s right.
9. Ethical ParticularismEthical particularists believe in moral truth. But they reject:Ethical monism.Ethical absolutism.The existence of prima facie duties.According to particularism, something's moral importance depends entirely on context.
10. The Particularist Argument If nothing possesses permanent moral importance, then there are no prima facie or absolute moral rules. Nothing possesses permanent moral importance. Therefore, there are no prima facie or absolute moral rules. If there are no prima facie or absolute moral rules, then particularism is true. Therefore, particularism is true.
11. Three Problems for ParticularismLack of unity.Difficulty accounting for moral knowledge.Some things possess permanent moral importance.