Shafer-Landau, The Fundamentals of Ethics, Introduction

August 29, 2014

The Lay of the Land

What is philosophy?

o Philosophy can be divided into three subdisciplines.

Metaphysics

Epistemology

Ethics

What is ethics (or moral philosophy)?

o Ethics can be divided into four subdisciplines.
Metaethics

Value Theory

Normative Theory

Applied Ethics

Ethical Starting Points

Where should we start our inquiry into ethics?
o Moral Principles

What are some examples of moral principles?

o Moral Judgments

What are some examples of moral judgments?

Moral Reasoning
What is an argument?
o Arguments are composed of two kinds of statements.
Premises

Conclusions

o When is an argument sound?

When it is valid and its premises are true.
When is an argument valid?

How do we determine whether an argument is valid?

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o
o
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Evaluate the following arguments.

o Argument 1
(P1) If Boulder is in Colorado, then Boulder is in the United States.
(P2) Boulder is in Colorado.
(C1) Therefore, Boulder is in the United States.

Is this argument sound? Why or why not?

o Argument 2
(P1) If Boulder is in Ohio, then Boulder is in the United States.
(P2) Boulder is in Ohio.
(C1) Therefore, Boulder is in the United States.

Is this argument sound? Why or why not?

o Argument 3
(P1) If London is in Colorado, then London is in the United States.
(P2) London is not in Colorado.
(C1) Therefore, London is not in the United States.

Is this argument sound? Why or why not?

Valid Argument Forms

o Modus Ponens
(P1) AB
(P1) If Boulder is in CO, then Boulder is in the USA.
(P2) A
(P2) Boulder is in CO.
(C1) B
(C1) Therefore, Boulder is in the USA.
o Modus Tollens
(P1) AB
(P1) If Boulder is in CO, then Boulder is in the USA.
(P2) ~B
(P2) It is not the case that Boulder is in the USA.
(C1) ~A
(C1) Therefore, it is not the case that Boulder is in CO.
o Hypothetical Syllogism
(P1) AB
(P1) If Boulder is in CO, then Boulder is in the USA.
(P2) BC
(P2) If Boulder is in the USA, then Boulder is in NA.
(C1) AC
(C1) Therefore, if Boulder is in CO, then Boulder is in NA.
o Do all valid arguments take one of these four valid argument forms?

Invalid Argument Forms

o Denying the Antecedent
(P1) AB
(P1) If Boulder is in CO, then Boulder is in the USA.
(P2) ~A
(P2) It is not the case that Boulder is in CO.
(C1) ~B
(C1) Therefore, it is not the case that Boulder is in the USA.
o Affirming the Consequent
(P1) AB
(P1) If Boulder is in CO, then Boulder is in the USA.
(P2) B
(P2) Boulder is in the USA.
(C1) A
(C1) Therefore, Boulder is in CO.
o Do all invalid arguments take one of these two invalid argument forms?

Truth
o Simple Statements (A)
What is an example of a simple statement?

o Negations (~A)
What is an example of a negation?

o Conditionals (AB)
What is an example of a conditional?

When are conditionals true?