Practical Rationality and Philosophy: Ethics, Morality, and Justice
1. Areas of Practical Rationality and Philosophical Disciplines
Practical rationality encompasses moral action (ethics) and civic/political action (social philosophy). Ethics covers two areas of morality: moral action and civic/political action. Normative ethics reflects on moral and political action and is divided into three branches:
Branches of Ethics
- Descriptive Ethics: A branch of sociology classifying and systematizing moral habits (traditions and customs).
- Normative Ethics: Exposes and reviews values, goals, standards, and codes for ethical decision-making. It is divided into personal, interpersonal, and civic/social ethics.
- Meta-ethics: Reflects on ethics as philosophical knowledge, including the separation of factual and value judgments.
2. Morality vs. Ethics
Ethics concerns moral, immoral, and amoral actions. Moral actions are characterized by being conscious, free, obligatory, and consistent.
3. Characteristics of Moral Action
- Conscious: Based on decisions from practical reasoning.
- Free: The subject decides independently.
- Obligatory: An internal imperative of moral consciousness.
- Consistent: Applying the same rules in similar circumstances, leading to moral habits.
4. Stages of Moral Decision-Making
- Setting a Value and Purpose: Example: Studying to pass an exam and set an example.
- Preparing a Standard of Action: Example: Committing to a study plan.
- Implementing the Behavior: Example: Following the study plan.
- Outcome and Impact: Example: Passing the exam and achieving goals.
5. Internal vs. External Freedom
External freedom is the absence of coercion. Internal freedom is the ability to make independent decisions. An autonomous moral decision originates from one’s own moral standard. A heteronomous decision is influenced by external factors.
6. Law vs. Legitimacy
Law is the power to create legal rules. Legitimacy is the ethical justification of those rules and the source of political power.
7. Legal Positivism
Separates law and ethics as independent and irreducible domains.
8. Legal Naturalism
Argues that legal rules should be based on universal and unchanging moral standards (natural law).
9. Ethical Universalism
Positive law requires ethical justification and legitimacy derived from international human rights declarations.
10. Meanings of Justice
- Ethical: Assessing actions as right or wrong.
- Legal: Evaluating the fairness of positive laws.
- Political: Assessing the fairness of state and government forms.
11. Aristotle’s Types of Justice
- Commutative Justice: Regulates relations between individuals based on reciprocal rights and duties.
- Distributive Justice: Regulates the distribution of benefits based on individual merit and capacity.
- Social Justice: Regulates access to wealth and promotes an egalitarian society.
- Retributive Justice: Regulates legal sanctions for violating norms.
12. Private vs. Public Law
Private law regulates relations between individuals. Public law governs the state and its relationship with individuals.
13. Principles of the Social and Democratic State of Law
- Rule of Law: Equal laws for all citizens, based on a constitution.
- Democratic: Representative democracy with free and fair elections.
- Social: State acts as a welfare provider, coordinating the economy, preventing market abuses, and ensuring social benefits.
14. Requirements of a Democratic Government
- Participation: Equal rights and opportunities for citizens to participate in public life.
- Representation: Sovereignty resides in the people and is exercised through representatives.
- Legitimacy: Government endorsed by a majority of citizens through free and fair elections.
- Polyarchy: Multiple centers of power (political parties, unions, media, etc.) interacting in a balanced way.
- Division of Powers: Separation of executive, legislative, and judicial branches to prevent abuse of power.