Ethics Midterm Flashcards
(20 cards)
Consequentialism
Views that hold moral rightness and wrongness. Mill’s utilitarianism is a variety of consequentialism.
Fred’s Basement/The case of Fred
Fred tortures puppies to harvest their cocoamone, it is produced in the puppies brain when they suffer. He does this to enjoy chocolate. Norcorss compares this to factory farming.
Moral Patient
Something that interests of which are moral considerations. They are potential objects of moral reasoning; something to which duties or obligations may be owed; a potential bearer of rights.
Positive Duty
A duty to perform some positive action. A duty to “bring aid.”
The Principle of Sacrifice
We are not only obligated to prevent harms, not positively benefit those not being harmed. We are not obligated to prevent harms through seemingly morally objectionable means.
The Formula of Humanity
Treat others as ends in themselves, not merely as means to an end. It is from the Categorical Imperative.
Act Utilitarianism
That action is morally right which among the agent’s available actions, produces the greatest net utility. The Principle of Sacrifice is weaker than Act Utilitarianism.
The Will (Kant)
The faculty or capacity of choice or decision. The intersection of practical reason, motivation, and action.
Soundness
An argument is sounds if it is valid and has true premises. The conclusion of a sound argument is true.
Excuse
An admission that you have done something wrong, but claims that you should not be blamed because there is a diminishing factor. An excuse denies responsibility.
The Reformer’s Dilemma
A powerful critique of cultural relativism in which observes that moral improvement or reformation would not be possible within cultural relativism. Since any minority opinion about how the society should change or improve would be wrong and immoral by definition.
Objectivism
Treats moral claims as universal independent moral standards and facts. Moral reality exists independent of what people think.
Justification
Reasoning behind why a particular action or belief is morally acceptable or right. Involved evidence, logic, or argument that defend a moral stance.
Maxim
Maxim is roughly a desire plus an action to make an outcome. It is acting from duty and it is in virtue of the “formal” principle of the action that is morally good.
Relativism
There are moral facts, but they are relative to different standards. It is up to a culture/society or individual to decide their views of the moral claims.
Psychological Egoism
The views that all humans actions are motivated by self interest. It is a view about how humans operate.
Instrumental Value
The value something has as a means to something else. It is something that is the means to a different goal.
Reflective Equilibrium
When your moral judgements are in line with your moral principles. Is a method of moral reasoning.
The Cultural Differences Argument
Morality is relative to a given culture because different cultures have different practice and traditions that can hold different moral beliefs. Claims that moral standards are not universal.
Impartiality
Decisions should be made based on objective criteria rather than on the basis of bias or personal reference. It is an ethical principle.
