Book Study Group Members Ethical Theory Summary F

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Book Study Group Members Ethical Theory Summary F

I chose the theory of utilitarianism

Ethical Theory Summary and Analysis

Albert Borgmann (2006) presented a wide-ranging analysis of the influences of ethical theory upon American culture.

Based on the theory that you selected on Monday (Utilitarianism):

  • Provide a brief summary and analysis of Borgmann’s ideas in no more than two pages, using proper APA format and style.
  • Address how Borgmann’s presentation of this ethical theory reflects his central concern with Churchill’s principle—“We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us” (Borgmann, 2006, p. 5).

Other quotes from Borgmann on which you may choose to comment:

  • “Theoretical ethics, as we shall see, has its indispensable significance and its unsurpassable grandeur. But in its claims to exclusive authority, it overreaches” (Borgmann, 2006, p. 28).
  • “It is often thought that ethical validity and ethical universality stand and fall together, that a moral norm can be binding only if it is binding everywhere and at all times” (Borgmann, 2006, p. 40).
  • The moral of the story is that the landmarks of theoretical ethics give us orientation that is as broad as it is indispensable. They give us a rough bearing, but they leave the regions of daily life unmapped, and their very visibility can become blurred in a moral crisis, personal or social. Kant’s attempt to make theory not just necessary but sufficient for ethics and to turn a landmark into a device, had to fail. (Borgmann, 2006, p. 51)
  • We know in dire circumstances without the help of theory what is right even if we can’t get ourselves to do it. An ethical theory is put to its real test when it is applied as a comprehensive view to the subtle and complex issues of today’s typical human condition. (Borgmann, 2006, p. 57)

Support your statements with evidence from the required studies and your research. Cite and reference your sources in APA style.

Read your book study group members’ posts to gain a better understanding of this week’s topic. No peer response posts are required, however, scholarly discussion of your posts within your collaborative meetings will enhance this week’s case study analyses.

References

Borgmann, A. (2006). Real American ethics: Taking responsibility for our country [eBook]. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press. Retrieved from http://library.cu–portland.edu/CONC:summit_alma_pc:CP71189463420001451