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"Moral Wisdom Seems to Be as Little Connected to Knowledge of Ethical Theory as Playing Good Tennis Is to Knowledge of Physics" (Emrys Westacott). to What Extent Should Our Actions Be Guided by Our Theories in Ethics and Elsewhere?

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"Moral wisdom seems to be as little connected to knowledge of ethical theory as playing good tennis is to knowledge of physics" (Emrys Westacott). To what extent should our actions be guided by our theories in ethics and elsewhere?

The question is with regards to whether moral reasoning is more accurate compared to the -theory-based knowledge of science. I think that ethical theory should be used for our moral conduct while the sciences should be used in other areas of knowledge instead. Thus, this essay will discuss on to whether our actions should be guided by our theories in ethics. Moral reasoning is expecting people justifying their value-judgements and support them with reasons. However, the limitation of the ethical theory is …show more content…

'We have some good news for you', they say. 'The doctor tells us that although you are going to die, we can clone you, so that after your death we will be able to replace you. Although your clone won't actually be you, he will look like you and in many ways behave like you. We can give him your bedroom and your old toys. Isn't it wonderful news?' "

Utilitarianism would mean that I have to compare the consequences of allowing myself to be clone or not and do whatever maximises the happiness of the people involved, which is to allow myself to be clone since my clone would maximise the happiness of my parents greatly. However, according to Kant's approach to ethics, if something has value it can be replaced by something else of equal value. However, if it has dignity it is irreplaceable. Since individuals have dignity rather than merely value, it is never right to sacrifice their lives for the greater good. Thus, the ethnic theories polarity prove that perhaps, our actions should not be guided by theories in ethics. Our actions should be guided by our moral intuitions instead. Although the above thought-experiment is a hypothetical example, it might happen in the near future since I have learnt in biology that there is the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep as well as a more recent cloning of a cat named CopyCat.
That is however, contrary to what Westacott states-moral actions and decisions made is extremely similar to

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