Ethics

Question 1

Ethics

Answer 1

• investigates the basic principles of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, and our understanding of ‘good’ and ‘evil’
• all the grey areas too
• sometimes referred to as moral philosophy (from L. mores)

Question 2

Metaethics

Answer 2

• “where do morals come from?”
• “Is it possible to have multiple answers to this question?”

Question 3

Normative Ethics

Answer 3

“Is it the consequences or the intention of the action that matters more?”

Question 4

Applied Ethics

Answer 4

How do we take Metaethics and Normative Ethics and apply it in situations

Question 5

3 Types of Relativism

Answer 5

1. egoistic relativism
2. social relativism
3. metaethical relativism

Question 6

Egoistic Relativism

Answer 6

• Get your sense of right and wrong from your own lived experience and understanding of things
• Problem: We don’t live in isolation

Question 7

relativism

Answer 7

you decide what is right and wrong based on situation

Question 8

Social relativism

Answer 8

Get idea of right and wrong from group that you belong to

Question 9

Relativism - Modus vivem d

Answer 9

• latin for way of life
• coming to a Modus vivem d where everyone lives in harmony and go about their lives
• if you break those rules you know what the consequences are

Question 10

Revaltivism - Incommensurable plurclism

Answer 10

• Many ways of looking at right and wrong
• the idea that it will likely not be possible to come to a universal ethic

Question 11

Metaethical Relativism

Answer 11

• We probably should
• the improbability of a universal principle

Question 12

4 types of ethical/moral Grounding

Answer 12

• metaphysical
• naturalistic
• sociological
• rationalistic

Question 13

Moral grounding - metaphysical

Answer 13

• Relies on higher power/reglin to know what is right and wrong
• Rooted in religion/spirituality
• Problem: If there is a God there is no need for ethics.
• Rebuttal” Not true, we must interpret religious texts in order to know what is right and wrong

Question 14

Moral grounding - naturalistic

Answer 14

• Look at what happens in nature
• Science and nature

Question 15

Hume’s Guillotine

Answer 15

• How do we move from ‘is’ to ‘ought to be’?
• Just bc something is a certain way doesn’t mean it should be

Question 16

moral grounding - sociological

Answer 16

Get your idea of right and wrong from the societies/groups you belong to

Question 17

moral grounding - rationalistic

Answer 17

• Uses pure reason as the way of determining right and wrong
• No emotions

Question 18

normative system - consequentialist

Answer 18

• The right thing is determined by the consequences. Intention doesn’t matter
• Bentham

Question 19

determinism

Answer 19

• no free will
• Our choices are made from forces outside ourselves
• Fate
• Problem: If everything is already deteminded than we can use it as an excuse

Question 20

scientific determinism

Answer 20

Science determines what we do

Question 21

Fate

Answer 21

end is determined

Question 22

Libertarianism

Answer 22

• Beliefs in freewill
• We are held accountable for our action
• future is open to possibility

Question 23

Compatibilism

Answer 23

• determinism & libertarianism
• Limit to free will, can’t will ourselves into existence

Question 24

priori

Answer 24

known before

Question 25

Normative system - Deontology

Answer 25

- acting with a sense of duty, do the moral thing regardless of the outcome - Kant's method

Question 26

Kant's Categorical Imperative

Answer 26

1. Identify rule/maxim 2. Imagine/assume a world where that rule is applied universally with no exception 3. Question if it creates a contradiction/problem 4. If so, immoral if not, moral! :) suggests a universal moral principle based on reason

Question 27

Major Normative Systems of Ethics

Answer 27

- Deontology - Consequentialism - Virtue Ethics

Question 28

Hedonic Calculus

Answer 28

formula to measure relative pain and relative pleasure

Question 29

six criteria for the Hedonic Calculus

Answer 29

1. intensity— high the better 2. duration— longer the better 3. certainty— more certain the better 4. propinquity— sooner the better 5. fecundity— more production the better 6. purity— lower the better - extent (added by John Stuart Mill)— moral value increases with the more peopled benefited

Question 30

utilitarianism

Answer 30

Bentham’s philosophy came to be known as the greatest good for the greater number

Question 31

Hedonic Calculus Problem

Answer 31

How do you know the moral you’re using as a standard is actually moral

Question 32

Normative System - Virtue Ethics

Answer 32

- what kind of person am I becoming? - Aristotle - patterns of actions matter more than individual situation - the “right action” to take is the action that someone with a generally good character would take

Question 33

Aristotle’s list of virtues

Answer 33

1. courage 2. temperance 3. high-mindedness 4. wit 5. liberality 6. friendliness 7. right ambition - each virtue listed is what he called golden mean, middle ground of 2 extremes

Question 34

phronesis

Answer 34

the master virtue is practical wisdom

Question 35

social darwinism

Answer 35

has been used to justify slavery and cultural exploitation

Question 36

the golden mean between rashness and cowardice is...

Answer 36

courage

Question 37

naturalistic issues

Answer 37

- While there is good things there are also bad things - Avoiding social Darwinism - Groups are stronger and other groups are seen as weaker and it’s made to seem natural

Question 38

golden mean of obsequiousness and cantankerousness

Answer 38

friendliness

Question 39

extremes of friendliness

Answer 39

obsequiousness and cantankerousness