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Henry Sidwick: the Methods of Ethics

question 12

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Henry Sidwick: The Methods of Ethics
In these selections from The Methods of Ethics, Henry Sidwick begins by examining the meaning of moral judgments. What precisely is expressed in saying that some action is "right" or "what ought to be done"? Sidwick rejects the view that moral judgments merely affirm the existence of feelings of approval and disapproval toward certain kinds of conduct and then gives his own view on the matter, namely that notions like "right" and "ought" are too elementary to admit of definition or analysis into more basic terms.
Sidwick next turns to the question of moral cognition. How do we arrive at reasoned moral judgments about what actions are right and ought to be done? Sidwick considers three methods for doing so. According to the first, egoistic hedonism, right conduct always coincides with the course of action that produces the most happiness (or least pain) for ourselves. Sidwick, however, argues that external and internal sanctions are insufficient to guarantee such a perfect coincidence between prudential self-interest and moral, pro-social behavior. Sidwick then considers philosophical intuitionism, according to which right conduct is determined by rationally self-evident moral principles that can be directly intuited in reflection. Sidwick finds this method wanting as well because although he acknowledges that some such principles exist, they are too abstract and general to guide action in particular cases.
Lastly, Sidwick considers utilitarianism, which of the three methods has the most to recommend it in his view. For one, utilitarianism largely supports the familiar rules of commonsense morality. But utilitarianism also improves commonsense morality by providing a precise guide to action when commonsense moral rules are ambiguous or vague, in conflict with one another, or in need of qualification. Although utilitarianism has these features to recommend it, Sidwick recognizes that it faces serious questions and challenges as well. For example, there is the question of whether utilitarianism must take into account the welfare of non-human beings as well as future generations, and, if so, how their welfare can enter into hedonistic calculations with sufficient precision. Perhaps the most pressing question is whether it is wrong, from a utilitarian point of view, to advocate openly for utilitarianism.
-According to Sidiwick, utilitarians should impartially consider the happiness of:

Definitions:

Moral Realism

The philosophical viewpoint asserting that ethical statements refer to objective features of the world, which are independent of human opinion.

Moral Development

The process by which individuals learn to distinguish right from wrong, making ethical decisions and understanding societal norms.

Piaget

Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist known for his pioneering work in child psychology, especially his theory of cognitive development that describes how children develop intellectual abilities.

Heinz Dilemmas

A set of moral dilemmas used in psychological studies to investigate moral reasoning and decision-making.