Philosophy 2: Society and Values

Los Angeles Pierce College

Department of History, Philosophy, & Sociology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lecture Notes for Midgley Reading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lecture Notes for the Midgley Reading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is ­ Ought

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolute ­ Relative

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moral Isolationism

Midgley: "Now when we hear of [unfamiliar customs], we may well reflect that we simply do not understand [them]; and therefore are not qualified to criticize [them] at all, because we are not members of that culture.  But we are not members of any other culture either, except our own.  So we extend the principle to cover all extraneous cultures, and we seem therefore to be moral isolationists."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Against Moral Isolationism

Midgley: "But this is, as we shall see, an impossible position." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Slippery Slope

Midgley: "Moral isolationism forbids us to form any opinions on these matters.  Its ground for doing so is that we don't understand them.  But there is much that we don't understand in our own culture too.  This brings us to our last question: If we can't judge other cultures, can we really judge our own?"  "In short, moral isolationism would lay down a general ban on moral reasoning."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slippery Slopes and Camels' Noses

 

1) The Initial Step

 

 

 

2) Principle that necessarily leads to consequence

 

 

 

3) Unavoidable consequence

 

 

 

4) Warning against initial step

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slippery Slope EG

Talking about race, politics, religion, etc. during Thanksgiving Dinner with that one relative

 

 

 

 

 

The Initial Step: bring some issue with regards to an impending election

 

Principle that Leads to Unwanted Consequence: that political, pugilistic relative that loves to talk about the subject in a combative way

 

Unwanted Consequence: everyone hating the experience and thus not wanting to talk with each other for 364 days

 

Warning Against Initial Consequence: don't bring up politics during Thanksgiving?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midgley's Slippery Slope

Midgley: "Moral isolationism forbids us to form any opinions on these matters.  Its ground for doing so is that we don't understand them.  But there is much that we don't understand in our own culture too.  This brings us to our last question: If we can't judge other cultures, can we really judge our own?"  "In short, moral isolationism would lay down a general ban on moral reasoning."