Moral judgment - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Moral judgment, an enigma wrapped in reason, is the process by which individuals determine whether actions or intentions are right or wrong. It is a core aspect of human existence, deeply intertwined with our sense of self, our relationships, and the societies we build, yet it remains a subject of intense debate across philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience. Is it purely rational, driven by logic and moral principle? Or is it primarily emotional, guided by instinct and intuition? Perhaps our intuitive moral sentiments are a guide? This question sparks the age-old debate between subjective vs objective ethics that continues today.
References to concepts resembling moral judgment appear as early as ancient Greece, with philosophical arguments concerning justice, virtue ethics, and moral obligation found in the writings of Plato (c. 428-348 BC) and Aristotle (384-322 BC). Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics explores the idea of arete or virtue, proposing that moral excellence is achieved through the habitual practice of virtuous actions, a cornerstone of virtue epistemology and philosophical moral thought. The "great conversation" about moral principle has always been relevant in political philosophy and ethics. The rise and fall of empires, the crusades, and the Renaissance—each historical epoch has grappled with and reshaped our understanding of moral imperatives.
Over the centuries, moral judgment has been examined and re-examined through various intellectual lenses. Immanuel Kant's (1724-1804) deontology, as expressed in his Critique of Practical Reason, introduced the categorical imperative, emphasizing duties and adherence to universal moral laws irrespective of consequences. In stark contrast, utilitarianism, championed by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and later by Peter Singer, emphasizes maximizing overall happiness and well-being, a principle of utility that has led to the development of the hedonistic calculus and consequentialist decision theory. Experiment ethics are central to this area. The advent of experimental philosophy and moral psychology has further complicated the landscape, introducing thought experiment such as the trolley problem and the Monty Hall problem which reveal the biases in decision making that influence our moral choices, testing the logic of syllogism, valid vs invalid, and our capacity for rational thinking when faced with a moral dilemma or ethics game. And there's the experimental philosophy that questions free will and determinism, a common philosophical argument. The Monty Hall question may also be seen as a moral quiz since it requires a fair and ethical weighing of probabilities for an equitable outcome. It shows the challenges to validity in logic.
Today, moral judgment continues to evolve alongside technological advancements and shifting social norms. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) further complicates matters, forcing us to consider moral agency, ethical obligations in AI, and the potential for fairness bias in algorithms decisions. Are we on the verge of creating machines capable of moral reasoning, or will our understanding of morality be forever shaped by our interactions with these systems? As we grapple with these questions, we are compelled to consider what it truly means to be a moral agent in an increasingly complex world, inviting us to contemplate the enduring mystique of moral judgment.