3.1 Morality and Art, Religion, Law....

Key Concepts

Morality, Law, Etiquette, Religion, Art/Beauty, Preference, Emotion, Prudence, Ethics, Conscience, Human Flourishing, Social Order, Internal Sanctions, External Sanctions, Well-being, Motive, Behavior, Authority, Unnecessary Suffering, Utilitarianism, Kantianism, Natural Law, Being, Value, Subjectivism, Self-Interest, Egoism.

1. Morality and Law

Morality is distinct from law. Actions can be legal but immoral (e.g., pornography, abortion, cheating), and illegal but moral (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil disobedience). The speaker uses the example of slavery to illustrate that legality does not equate to morality. Conscience judges the law, not the other way around.

While laws are enforced through external sanctions (prison, fines) to promote social order, morality relies on internal sanctions (guilt, conscience) and aims for a deeper form of human flourishing. The speaker encourages viewers to clarify this distinction.

2. Morality and Etiquette

Etiquette concerns politeness and manners, focusing on form and style rather than the essence of social existence. Examples include proper fork placement and bowing versus shaking hands. Violating etiquette is impolite but not necessarily immoral.

Louie Pointman's definition of etiquette emphasizes its focus on what is polite rather than what is right in a deeper sense. Morality focuses on the well-being of people, while etiquette lubricates social interactions. Morality is determined by conscience and principles, while etiquette is determined by cultural approval. One student's argument is mentioned: morality is about motive and behavior, whereas etiquette focuses on behavior. The speaker emphasizes the importance of etiquette while maintaining that it is not as deep as morality.

3. Morality and Religion

Many people disagree with religious authorities on moral issues, indicating a distinction between personal morality and formal religion. The speaker uses the example of torturing a baby or kitten to illustrate that both theists and atheists can agree on moral judgments based on the principle of avoiding unnecessary suffering.

Theists and atheists share common ground in morality. Many philosophers and religious individuals believe morality is about reducing unnecessary suffering (utilitarianism) and treating people with respect (Kantianism), distinguishing this from their belief in God. Religious people often appeal to authority (Bible, Pope, Koran) more than ordinary moral reasoning.

Theists believe that fundamental reality is composed of being and value (God), which gives rise to matter. This motivates moral behavior as aligning with ultimate reality. The speaker notes that this topic will be explored in more depth later.

4. Morality and Art or Beauty

Art is often associated with human enjoyment, while morality is associated with human well-being. The speaker criticizes the modern art movement where anything is considered art if the artist says so, drawing a parallel to subjectivism in morality, where anything is considered good if an individual endorses it.

The speaker poses questions to explore the difference: Does art improve human well-being? Is morality more serious than art? Should morality override beauty when they conflict? Are they different paths to the same good? The speaker questions whether beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The speaker recommends watching Scruton's beetle documentary, Why Beauty Matters.

5. Morality and Preference

Preferences are arbitrary and don't require reasons, unlike moral judgments. The speaker uses personal preferences (color fuchsia, asparagus ice cream) as examples. Morality involves considering the well-being of others, while preference is about individual taste.

Moral opinions are changed through challenging beliefs, reasoning, and principles, while changing preferences is more difficult. The speaker uses the example of vaccination to illustrate that moral claims require reasons based on factual claims and fundamental principles.

6. Morality and Emotion

Morality is used to judge the appropriateness of emotions and desires. The speaker refers to lecture 2.14 for more information.

7. Morality and Prudence

Prudence is about self-interest, while morality sometimes requires overcoming self-interest. The speaker uses the example of jumping on a grenade to save others. The speaker notes that this leads to a deep discussion about egoism that will be explored later. Morality and prudence overlap but are distinct because moral acts are not always self-interested.

8. Morality and Ethics

Some argue that morality is personal and ethics is institutional, or that morality is about what one thinks is right and wrong, while ethics is about the principles that shape those moral judgments. However, many philosophers use the terms interchangeably, and the speaker will do the same in the course.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The lecture distinguishes morality from related concepts like law, etiquette, religion, art, preference, emotion, prudence, and ethics. It emphasizes that morality is not simply about following laws or social conventions, adhering to religious doctrines, or expressing personal preferences. Instead, it involves a deeper consideration of human flourishing, well-being, and the impact of actions on others, often requiring reasoned justification and a willingness to overcome self-interest. The speaker encourages viewers to continue exploring and clarifying their understanding of morality and conscience.