Summary
Highlights
Emotivism is a naive version of ethical subjectivism, asserting that a moral belief is true if held with sincerity and conviction. It claims that statements about good or evil merely express a subject's approval or disapproval, illustrated with the example of differing opinions on the war on drugs.
Feelings cannot be solely relied upon, though they complement reason. Traditionally, ethical decision-making was seen as an exclusively mental process. However, evidence suggests that emotion is a necessary component leading to ethical decisions and behavior, influencing moral reflection.
This session will discuss chapter three of the ethics module, focusing on the act and the role of feelings in moral decisions. Many people are unaware when their behavior deviates from ethical standards due to overwhelming emotions. The module aims to provide models for reasoned and impartial ethical decisions, emphasizing that will and moral courage are as important as reason.
The learning outcomes for this topic include explaining the relationship between feelings and ethical judgments and evaluating feelings as both obstacles and helpful in making right decisions. Feelings, intuitions, or moral emotions play a major role in ethical decisions, and even words and actions are affected by emotions.
There is a distinction between experiencing an emotion and expressing it. There are no bad emotions, only bad expressions of emotions. Emotions are inherent, but how they are expressed determines their impact. Advice is given not to reply when angry, promise when happy, or make decisions when sad, as allowing emotions to overcome us can lead to poor judgment.
Ethical subjectivism holds that the truth or falsity of ethical propositions depends on an individual's or group's feelings, attitudes, or standards, thus being solely based on feelings. An example discusses a biased view against homosexuality stemming from past trauma, demonstrating how personal feelings can influence moral judgments.
Inner-directed negative emotions like embarrassment and shame can motivate ethical actions. Outer-directed negative emotions such as anger and disgust are directed at those who act unethically. Positive emotions like gratitude and admiration, and emotions evoked by suffering such as sympathy and empathy, can prompt people to help others and act ethically.
While philosophy and religious values influence moral decisions, emotions play a significant role. It's crucial not to let emotions dictate actions without guidance from reason. To live an ethical life, emotions should be guided by reason, as reason is supreme and provides rational ability for making sound ethical choices.