3.h.i - Goodness Morality

Goodness: What is a good life?
[Morality & Virtue]

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being
corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new
self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” –Ephesians 4:22-24
I. Mad Bomber Moral Dilemma

a. A madman who has threatened to explode several bombs in crowded areas has been
apprehended. Unfortunately, he has already planted the bombs and they are scheduled
to go off in a short time. It is possible that hundreds of people may die. The authorities
cannot make him divulge the location of the bombs by conventional methods. He
refuses to say anything and requests a lawyer to protect his fifth amendment right
against self-incrimination. In exasperation, some high level official suggests torture. This
would be illegal, of course, but the official things that it is nevertheless the right thing to
do in this desperate situation.
i. Do you agree?
ii. If you do, would it also be morally justifiable to torture the mad bomber’s
innocent wife if that is the only way to make him talk? Why?
iii. What about his innocent infant child? Why?
II. This dilemma helps us answer the question of “Why be moral?”, or gives us a rational
justification for morality. Two main justifications: what is logical? what is emotional?
a. Virtue: Do we want to become the kind of society that tortures people to get what we
want? If we’re willing to use torture to save hundreds of lives, what about 50? 10? 5? 1
life? Do it only for the mad bomber? No one else? Is there a rational reason to draw the
line anywhere?
b. Deontology: Torture is either right or wrong. How do we know if it’s right or wrong?
Easiest way to know is if we universalize it; What if everyone used torture to get
information they wanted?
c. Consequentialism: Will causing harm to one person allow us to prevent further harm to
other individuals? Is that worth it? How do we calculate that worth? If torturing an
innocent baby would most quickly prevent greater harm, wouldn’t we be morally
obligated to do so?
d. Main point: We cannot get away from the idea of morality. Every choice we make, large
or small, has moral and ethical implications. If this is true, aren’t we obligated to
think about what makes a moral decision, action, or person?
III. Big question: What is the good life?

a. Katy Perry “Last Friday Night” video
i. What’s the good life as described by Perry?
ii. What moral decisions is Perry making to attain the good life?
iii. Is any moral compromise off limits in pursuit of the good life?
b. Three ideas for the “good life”
i. Human Flourishing: the state of affairs (internal and external) that are necessary
for an individual and society to achieve the purpose of human existence.
1. What does this mean, though? Very subjective because what is
flourishing? For Voldemort it’s purification, for Ultron it’s death, etc.
ii. Eudaimonia: whole-person happiness; closest English translation is
“magnanimity”; the highest human good and the end toward which all human
activity should be oriented.
1. Aristotle understood this as an objective reality. It exists objectively,
regardless of our ability to subjectively apprehend it. In order to achieve it,
we must adapt to it, not the other way around.
iii. Shalom: Hebrew for peace; spiritual, physical, mental wholeness
1. Same as eudaimonia, but with religious connotations. Shalom is only
possible in a right relationship with God.
iv. SO, the real question of morality is what is your definition of the good life?
1. Morality is simply a set of rules that guide a person to achieve the good life
they desire.
2. Subjective: you create whatever rules you can to help you achieve the good
life (ultimately it’s internal)
3. Objective: a reality we must discover, then our set of rules must help us to
be transformed into people who can discover it and come to the good life.
v. Big(ger) question: What is YOUR view of the good life?
IV. Your set of rules for the good life?

a. What is my vision of “the good life?” What are your set of rules you live by to help you
achieve that “good life?” Why did you choose those rules?
b. Format:
i. Vision of Good Life (2-3 sentences)
ii. Rule.
iii. Explanation (1-2 sentences)
iv. Give me five rules, and be HONEST about your vision of the good life and your
rules.
c. Submit to Canvas assignment.

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Goodness: What is a good life?

[Morality & Virtue]

I. Mad Bomber Moral Dilemma

III. Big question: What is the good life?

IV. Your set of rules for the good life?

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