Contemporary Moral Problems

Book Review Chapter 1: Ethical Theories:

Mary Midgley: Trying Out One’s New Sword

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534584306/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233793391&sr=8-1

Quote:  “we cannot criticize cultures that we do not understand”

    In my point of view, I would think that it would be really wrong for us to criticize one’s culture, especially if we do not understand or even know the culture. It is so easy for us to make fun and laugh at certain cultures that may seem awkward to us but to be honest; it is not right to do so. The best thing to do whether we like other cultures or not is to respect them.

Learning Expectation:

    I would want to know what Mary Midgley means by “Trying Out One’s New Sword”. Obviously, at first, it sounds off topic, but it shouldn’t be because it is some kind of ethical theory of some sort. So, I want to know what Midgley has to say.

Review:

    In this chapter, Mary Midgley talks about her ethical beliefs. But before anything else, lets discuss a brief introduction on Mary Midgley. Mary Midgley taught philosophy at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England for twenty years and is now retired. She was the author of numerous books, including Animals and Why They Matter (1984), Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (1995), and many more.

Midgley attacks moral isolation, the view of anthropologists and others that we cannot criticize cultures that we do not understand. The following example will explain about why the title is called trying out one’s new sword. She said that in the older Japanese culture the Japanese had their practice of trying out a new samurai sword on a chance wayfarer. She argues that moral isolationism is essentially a doctrine of immoralism because it forbids any moral reasoning. Furthermore, it falsely assumes that cultures are separate and unmixed, whereas most cultures are in fact formed out of many influences.

According to Mary Midgley, Moral Isolationism is a position that further holds that the world is sharply divided into separate societies, sealed units, each with its own system of thought. But she said that Moral Isolationism is wrong because it defies or contrast the moral values we know and believe.

What I’ve learned:

    I have learned that we cannot criticize cultures that we do not understand. Moreover, I have learned what Mary Midgley means by trying out one’s new sword and as well as other things like moral isolationism.

Questions:

1.    Asides from Midgley, who thinks that Moral isolationism is wrong?

2.    How does it affect us?

3.    Is it adaptable to us?

4.    Why do people have to criticize other cultures?

5.    Who is for Moral Isolationism?

Citation: (James E. White, St. Cloud State University, 2003)