The document discusses moral objectivism and different versions of this view. It examines Thomas Aquinas' view of natural law theory, which holds that objective moral principles can be discovered through human reason and nature. Aquinas was a moral absolutist who developed the doctrine of double effect. The document also discusses moderate objectivism and the idea of a universal core morality based on principles necessary for human flourishing. While moral principles may be objective, morality is also situational in how principles are applied.

1. Ethics: Discovering
Right and Wrong
Louis P. Pojman and James Fieser
8th edition

2. Chapter Three: Moral
Objectivism
 The people who enslaved Seba violated at least three
basic moral principles:
 Respect the freedom of rational beings.
 Don’t cause unnecessary suffering.
 Always treat people as ends in themselves, never merely
as means.
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3. Moral Objectivism (continued)
 There are objective universal moral principles, valid for
all people and all social environments.
 This chapter examines several versions of objectivism,
but ultimately accepts a view called moderate
objectivism.
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4. Moral Absolutism vs.
Moral Objectivism
 Moral absolutism is the view that there are
nonoverrideable and exceptionless moral principles that
one ought never violate.
 Moral objectivism shares the notion that principles have
universal, objective validity.
 Denies that moral norms are necessarily exceptionless.
 Aquinas’s Objectivism and Absolutism
 Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) follows an objectivist
approach called natural law theory.
 Aquinas was a moral absolutist, and he developed the
doctrine of double effect.
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5. Natural Law Theory (1 of 2)
 An eternal moral law exists that can be discovered
through reason by looking at the nature of humanity and
society.
 Introduced by the Stoics (first century BCE), who believed
humans have a divine spark, logos spermatikos, enabling
discovery of eternal laws.
 The universe is governed by rational laws that all creation
obeys, but humans have the power of choice.
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6. Natural Law Theory (2 of 2)
 Aquinas combined the Stoic’s cosmic law with Aristotle’s
concept that humans, like every natural object, have a
specific nature, purpose, and function.
 For Aquinas, reason’s deliberative processes discover
the natural laws.
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7. Key Ideas of the
Natural Law Tradition
 Humans have an essential rational nature established by
God, who designed us to live and flourish in prescribed
ways.
 Even without knowledge of God, reason, as the essence
of our nature, can discover laws necessary for human
flourishing.
 The natural laws are universal and unchangeable, and
one should use them to judge individual societies and
their positive laws.
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8. Doctrine of Double Effect
 It provides a tidy method for solving all moral disputes
in which an act will have two effects, one good and the
other bad.
 It is always wrong to do a bad act intentionally to bring
about good consequences, but it is sometimes
permissible to do a good act despite knowing that it will
bring about bad consequences.
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9. Four Conditions of
Morally Permissible Acts
 The nature-of-the-act condition: The act must be
morally good or indifferent.
 The means-end condition: The bad effect must not be
the means by which one achieves the good effect.
 The right-intention condition: The intention must be to
achieve only the good effect, with the bad effect as an
unintended side effect.
 The proportionality condition: The good effect must be
at least equivalent in importance to the bad effect.
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10. Problems with the
Doctrine of Double Effect
 Some prescriptions seem counterintuitive.
 It is not always clear how closely an effect must be
connected with the act to be counted as the intended
act.
 How do we describe an act?
 This doctrine may be too closely tied to a teleological
view of human nature.
 Alternatives: Prima facie duties
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11. Moderate Objectivism
 If we can establish or show that it is reasonable to
believe that there is at least one objective moral
principle that is binding on all people, then we will
have shown that relativism is probably false and that a
limited objectivism is true.
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12. Core Morality
 The core morality is made up of principles necessary for
the good life within a flourishing human community.
 They are not arbitrary; we can give reasons that explain
why they are constitutive elements of a successful
society, necessary for social cohesion and personal well-
being.
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13. Ten Principles that are
Examples of Core Morality
 Do not kill innocent
people.
 Do not cause
unnecessary pain or
suffering.
 Do not lie or deceive.
 Do not steal or cheat.
 Keep your promises and
honor your contracts.
 Do not deprive another
person of his or her
freedom.
 Do justice, treating
people as they deserve
to be treated.
 Reciprocate: Show
gratitude for services
rendered.
 Help other people,
especially when the cost
to oneself is minimal.
 Obey just laws.
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14. Our Common Human Nature
 An objectivist bases his or her moral system on a
common human nature with common needs and desires.
 There is more that unites all humanity than divides us.
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15. Arguments for Objectivism (1 of 2)
 Human nature is relatively similar, having a common set
of basic needs and interests.
 Moral principles are functions of human needs and
interests, instituted by reason to meet human needs
and promote their most significant interests.
 Some moral principles meet needs and promote
interests better than others.
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16. Arguments for Objectivism (2 of 2)
 Moral principles that meet essential needs and promote
the most significant interests are objectively valid.
 Therefore, because there is a common human nature,
there is an objectively valid set of moral principles,
applicable to all humanity.
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17. Ethical Situationalism
 Objective moral principles are to be applied differently
in different contexts.
 Ethical situationalism is different from ethical
relativism, which denies universal ethical principles
altogether.
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18. Conclusion
 Moderate objectivism holds that a core set of moral
principles is universally valid.
 Morality is situational.
 A functional account of objective morality comes from
the notion that morality serves specific human functions
in promoting the human good.
 A naturalistic account establishes the core morality.
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