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A Universal Moral Theory

Dennis R. Cooley

Department of HistoryNorth Dakota State University

19 January 2003

Supported by a USDA/CSREES/IFAFS grant,Consortium to Address Social, Economic, andEthical Aspects of Biotechnology.

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Utilitarianism

The creed which accepts as the foundation of

morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle,

holds that actions are right in the proportion as they

tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to

produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is

intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by

unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure.

--John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism: Its Meaning.

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A Practical Problem with

Utilitarianism Utilitarianism classifies actions according to their

actual consequences.

Since we are unable to foresee with absolutecertainty what the consequences of an action are,we merely guess at what the best action is for us.

Sometimes, we will make mistakes about whichactions have the best consequences.

It is unfair to hold us morally responsible formaking a mistake based upon a lack of informationwhich is caused by no fault of our own.

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Reasonable Person Utilitarianism

(RPU) An action is morally right only if a

reasonable person in the same circumstancesin which the agent finds herself would

reasonably believe that the action has at least

as much utility as any alternative to the

action.

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The Categorical Imperative

Act in such a way that you always treathumanity, whether in your own person or inthe person of any other, never simply as ameans, but always at the same time as anend.

--Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of theMetaphysic of Morals: The Formula of theEnd in Itself.

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Practical Problem for the

Categorical Imperative If we are morally required to treat people as ends in

themselves, then we need to know specifics of how to treatpeople as ends in themselves.

Law of Universalizability:

If it would be wrong for everyone to do something, thenit is wrong for you to do it.

Law of Reversibility:

If it you do not want something done to you, then do notdo it to others.

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Treating Others as Ends

We want to be respected in both thought and

deed as valuable beings. Good intentions

Good motives

Good mental states

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The Quasi-Categorical Imperative

(QCI) An action is morally right only if in

doing the action, the agent does not treatanyone as a mere means.

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A Practical Theory of Ethics

In order for an action to be morally right, theaction must satisfy both RPU and QCI.

Generally gets it right.

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The Moral Saint Test

Select a person whom you would like to emulate.

Critically evaluate the character of the individual to

determine if the person possesses negative traits.

Eliminate the negative traits from your image of the

person. (The result will be your moral saint.)

Present your decision and its justification to yourmoral saint.

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Evaluation

If your moral saint would agree with yourdecision and its justification, then you have

used RPU and QCI correctly.

If your moral saint would disagree with yourdecision and its justification, then you have

not used RPU and QCI correctly. Using the new and old information, go back and

re-evaluate the situation.

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Conclusion

The greatest benefits to using RPU, QCI, and

the Moral Saint Test are:

1. Generally arrive at the correct solution.

2. Capture our universal intuitions about

morality.3. Practicality.