Midterm Flashcards
(25 cards)
Thought Experiment
mental process of using hypotheticals to logically reason out a solution to a difficult question. As the name suggests, thought experiments often try to simulate the experimental process through imagination alone.
Foot’s Trolley Problem
The trolley problem is a series of thought experiments in ethics, psychology, and artificial intelligence involving stylized ethical dilemmas of whether to sacrifice one person to save a larger number
Zipper’s Foggy Day
David Zipper’s “foggy day” thought experiment is designed to explore how people attribute responsibility for an accident;
The experiment aims to show that people are more likely to blame the driver for the accident rather than the foggy conditions, illustrating a bias towards individual responsibility over structural factors.
individual model of responsibility
the idea that individuals are accountable for their own actions, successes, and failures, as well as for the well-being of those who depend on them due to age or vulnerability.
structural model of responsibility
the idea that structural entities are accountable for actions, successes, and failures, as well as for the well-being of those who depend on them due to age or vulnerability or who reside in or around them.
argument as combat
viewing argument as something to be won
argument as collaborative
viewing argument as an opportunity to learn
the different evaluative perspectives
legal
moral
prudential
institutional
extrinsic value
the value as a thing;
being human
intrinsic value
the value of something can give you
Components of Utilitarianism
Hedonism:
all and only pleasure is intrinsically valuable and all and only pain is intrinsically not valuable
Impartiality:
equal treatment of all rivals or disputants; fairness.
Consequentialism:
the doctrine that the morality of an action is to be judged solely by its consequences.
Principal of Utility
The principle that actions are to be judged by their usefulness in this sense: their tendency to produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, or happiness.
actual utility
expected utility
Nozick’s Experience Machine
people can choose to plug into a machine that induces exclusively pleasurable experiences.
Nozick goes against hedonism say to not go in and how we must value something else
objection to hedonism
The objections to hedonism based on false, worthless, and unconscious pleasures are fundamentally attacks on the notion that all pleasures are intrinsically good. In each case, the objector tries to show that there are some pleasures that are not intrinsically good.
Objection to impartiality
extra weight to the interests of one’s nearest and dearest, instead of counting everyone equally.
objection to consequentialism
Personal liberties: is banning fast food permissible if it will save lives?
Can doctors kill patients for their organs?
There are literally no acts that can never be performed.
No room for privileging special relationships – friends, spouse, child.
The formula of the end in itself
Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end.
maxium
a reason why I did, would do, or could have done something
persuasive design
design of things to manipulate you
epistemic/filter bubble
No knowledge of things against views
echo chamber
contradictory views and knowledge become discredited
Digital Rights Management (DRM)
the use of technology to control and manage access to copyrighted material.
