Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
ethics
questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the three assumptions about morality and religion that Schafer-Landau (henceforth, ‘SL’) discusses? | Religious belief is needed to get us to do our duty (What is it mean by “our duty”?) Morality must be created by someone, and God is by far the best candidate for the job Religious wisdom is the key to providing us with moral guidance |
| What is the Divine Command Theory? | An act is morally required just because it is commanded by God, and immoral because God forbids it |
| What is the basic idea in the ‘Euthyphro’ dilemma/argument? | divine command theory is false because God needs reasons for his Commands; he is not the ultimate decider in what actions are morally right or wrong. He cannot be the ultimate decider; he needs reasons to back up what he demands as right or wrong morally |
| What is Ethical Egoism? | There is one ultimate moral duty -- to improve your own well-being as best you can. Whenever you fail to achieve this goal, you are behaving immorally. |
| What does Ethical Egoism say about actions that do not benefit oneself? | Those actions are immoral because they do not benefit oneself. |
| What is the Self-Reliance Argument for ethical egoism? | The most effective way of making everyone better off is for each person to mind his own business, and tend only to his own needs; Therefore, we each ought to mind our own business and tend only to our own needs. |
| What is the Libertarian Argument for ethical egoism? | |
| What is the ‘Best Argument’ for ethical egoism? | If you are morally required to do something, then you have good reason to do if there is good reason for you to do something, then doing it must make you better off; if you are morally required to do something, then doing it must make you better off. |
| What are the three main problems for ethical egoism? | It violates some of the deepest and most central moral beliefs It cannot allow for the existence of moral rights It arbitrarily assigns self-interest complete priority over the interest of others |
| What makes a theory a ‘consequentialist’ theory | An action is morally required just because it produces the best overall results b is really the main point - consequentialism looks at (and only at) the consequences of actions to determine their rightness - RW |
| What is ‘act-utilitarianism’? | It’s the theory that accepts the principle of utility (see 11.1). It holds that well-being should be maximized, and pain should be minimized, and defines right and wrong actions in terms of the consequences: pain/pleasure. |
| What is the principle of utility? | An action is morally required just because it does more to improve overall well-being than any other action you could have done in the circumstances. |
| What is the difference between ‘actual’ and ‘expected’ results? What reasons would one have for preferring one over the other? Which version do most utilitarians accept? | |
| What are four attractions of Utilitarianism? | Impartiality The ability to justify conventional moral wisdom Conflict Resolution Moral Flexibility |
| What does Utilitarianism say about the scope of the moral community? | It sounds more like what Kantian would say (RW) : The utilitarian test is the slogan “Can they suffer?” |
| What are three ways in which Utilitarianism is thought to be too demanding? A | Deliberation: It’s a long and careful consideration or discussion. That’s too demanding because we don’t always have time to sit down and thoroughly think about the situation. |
| What are three ways in which Utilitarianism is thought to be too demanding? B | Motivation: We must motivate ourselves to do what is morally better for the overall look of things instead of just for our self interests.[If we had the choice of donating $100 to charity or to use it for a dinner, ut. says it is morally right |
| What are three ways in which Utilitarianism is thought to be too demanding? C | Action: Utilitarianism expects you to go above and beyond, if a building is burning, you must go in there to save people because its morally correct. Even if it is risking your life, you must do it, that’s why Ut. is thought to be too demanding. |
| How is it that Impartiality is taken to be both an advantage and a problem with Utilitarianism? | It is an advantage because it tells us that each person is morally valuable. It is an disadvantage because it rejects the idea that a person, just because he is my son, my dear friend etc. is more deserving of my help and attention. Example: abortion |
| What is meant by the objection that Utilitarianism cannot uphold the view that some things are ‘intrinsically wrong’? Why is this an objection to Ut.? | According to Utilitarianism, any sort of action can be morally right even if it causes only terrible suffering, provided that the suffering prevents even greater suffering. Example: someone dying |
| Explain the ‘Problem of Injustice’ and the roles of ‘vicarious punishment’ and ‘exemplary punishment’ in this objection. Why is this an objection to It? | |
| What are the three possible responses to the Problem of Injustice? | Justice is also intrinsically valuable Injustice is never optimific Justice must sometimes be sacrificed |
| What’s the difference between ‘act’ and ‘rule’ utilitarianism (or ‘act’ and ‘rule’ consequentialism)? ACT | Act utilitarianism says that any action that improves the overall well-being is morally required. If there is more than one action you can take, then you must pick the one that increases well-being the most. |
| What’s the difference between ‘act’ and ‘rule’ utilitarianism (or ‘act’ and ‘rule’ consequentialism)? RULE | Rule utilitarianism says that an action is morally right just because it is required by an optimific social rule. |
| What is the ‘Golden Rule’? What’s wrong with it? | It is a rule that tells you to treat others how you want to be treated The problem is that some people like to be hit or abused, so then it is okay for them to hit others because they are treating others how they want to be treated |
| What moral values do things like the Golden rule and the thought ‘What if everyone did that?’ try to bring into view? | the golden rule and the thought ‘What if everyone did that?’ are moral rules/questions that get us to focus on the values of Fairness (golden rule) and Consistency(question). when we ask ‘What if everyone did that?’ we are pointing out to ourselves that o |
| What is the ‘Principle of Universalizability’? | An act is morally acceptable if, and only if, its maxim is universalizable |
| What is a ‘maxim’? | |
| Explain the fundamental difference between Kantian Ethics and Utilitarian/Consequentialist approaches to ethics? | Kantian ethics sees one's intentions as crucial to the morality of one's acts. whereas utilitarian ethics sees only the results of one's actions as relevant. |
| Explain Kant’s three part test to determine the morality of actions. A | Formulate your maxim clearly -- state what you intend to do, and why you intend to do it. (Act-Circumstance-End) Example:Maxim: I will make a lying promise, whenever I need money, in order to make money. |
| Explain Kant’s three part test to determine the morality of actions. B | Universalize your maxim -- Imagine a world in which everyone supports and acts on your maxim. |
| Explain Kant’s three part test to determine the morality of actions. C | Then ask: Can the goal of my action be achieved in such a world? No, because no one would believe you therefore you wouldn’t be able to get any money. Shows that you are trying to make an exception to yourself. |
| What is a hypothetical imperative? | They are commands of reason; they command us to do whatever is needed in order to get what we care about. They tell us how to achieve our goals. They require us to do certain things, but only because such actions will get us what we want |
| What is the categorical imperative? | They are commands of reason; they are rational requirements that do not depend on what we care about. They command us to do things whether we want to or not, with the result that if we ignore or disobey them, we are acting irrationally. |
| What are: (a) rationality and (b) autonomy? | Being responsible based on facts or reason; being able to act for reasons (unique to humans) Having the ability to make rules for ourselves |
| What is the ‘Principle of Humanity’? | Always treat a human being (yourself included) as an end, and never as a mere means |
| What does it mean to use someone as a means? | treating someone with respect and dignity. -example, going to a doctor and receiving treatment from them. Their treatment has worth, tf you pay them for the treatment. It’s a mutual agreement, one in which both participants recognize each other’s worth. |
| What does it mean to use someone as a mere means? | treating someone without respect - Using someone for your own entertainment without agreeing to it. (Deception) |
| What are some clear examples where someone uses another person as a mere means? What are some clear examples where someone uses another person as a means and at the same time as an end? | Promising paying your babysitter but refusing to pay them after they babysit your kids; case of deception in order to get someone to do something for you.manipulation.coercion- blackmailing |
| Explain these Five Problems with the Principle of Humanity? A | Vagueness: There is no straightforward test that tells us how to apply the principle of humanity… The vagueness often makes it difficult to know whether our actions are morally acceptable. |
| Explain these Five Problems with the Principle of Humanity? B | Determining Just Deserts (lex talionis, etc.): Lex talionis tells us to treat criminals as they treated their victims. Lex cannot explain why criminals who intentionally hurt their victims should be punished more than those who accidentally cause the sa |
| Explain these Five Problems with the Principle of Humanity? C | Are we autonomous?: If our choices are necessitated, then they are out of our control, and we lack autonomy. If our choices are not necessitated, then they are random, and we lack autonomy |
| Explain these Five Problems with the Principle of Humanity? D | Moral Luck: Moral luck says that cases that the morality of an action or a decision depends on factors outside of our control… Control is essential for moral responsibility; therefore, moral luck cannot exist |
| Explain these Five Problems with the Principle of Humanity? E | The Scope of the Moral Community: This view offers no moral protections to wild animals. (or any animals) Domesticated animals will have no moral protection against their owners |
| What is the difference between ‘monism’ and ‘pluralism’ in ethical theory? | Monism: there is one supreme rule that serves as the basis of all morality Pluralism: a family of views that holds that there is a plurality of fundamental moral rules |
| What does Ross call his ‘non-absolute’ moral rules? | Prima facie duties, permanent reason to do/ refrain from something |
| How many duties does Ross recognize as fundamental? What are they? | . Fidelity- Keeping promises, 2.Reparations- repairing harm 3.Gratitude- acknowledging benefits that others have given us 4.Justice- virtues rewarded 5.Beneficence - intelligence 6.Self-improvement-more virtuous 7.Nonmaleficence- preventing harm |
| What are four three advantages to Ross’s pluralist theory? | We are sometimes permitted to break the moral rules Moral conflict- none are absolute Moral regret (guilt) |
| What problem(s) does Ross’s view encounter? | |
| What is Ethical Particularism? How is it different from Pluralism? How is it similar? | Particularists reject absolutism and monism, and they deny the existence of any prima facie duties (they believe there are no moral rules) |
| What is Ethical Particularism? How is it different from Pluralism? How is it similar? DIFFERENT | Different: pluralism- believes in prima facie duties. There is more than one moral rule and the positives and negatives never change. Ethical Particularism- no absolute moral rules, and no action that always has a positive and a negative, no general rules |
| What is Ethical Particularism? How is it different from Pluralism? How is it similar? SIMILAR | Similar: they both reject absolutism and monism |
| What are the problems for Ethical Particularism? | |
| What does virtue ethics take to be the most important question for an ethical theory? How does this contrast with the ‘most important question’ that the other theories address? | What sort of person should I be? For other theories, the central question to be addressed by an ethical theory is ‘What should I do?’. So, virtue ethics is ‘Agent-Centered’ while most other theories are ‘Act-Centered’. |
| What is a virtue? | a character trait a virtuous person possesses |
| What are some examples of virtue? | kindness, honesty, humility, justice, empathy, integrity, piety, fortitude, sympathy, respectfulness, patience, loyalty, generosity, wisdom, temperance. |
| What kinds of things are virtues? | high moral standards NO; They are ‘Character Traits’. This means that virtues - are long-standing dispositions that describe what a person is like. honest, for example, is not simply to tell the truth, but to have a disposition to value the truth. |
| How does virtue ethics define right action/wrong action? | An action is right because they would be done by someone of true virtue--Someone who sets a fine example and serves as a role model for the rest of us |
| What role do emotions play in virtue ethics? In moral education? | Emotions can help us to see what is morally relevant, by tipping us off to what matters in a given situation… Emotions can help to tell us what is right and wrong. Emotions help to motivate us to do the right thing |
| Explain the following objections to Virtue ethics: Tragic dilemmas: | A tragic dilemma is a situation in which a good person’s life will be ruined, no matter what she does. If virtue ethics is the correct account of morality, then Sophie’s selection of one of her children to be murdered is morally right |
| Explain the following objections to Virtue ethics:Virtue ethics cannot offer adequate moral guidance | Virtue ethicists deny that ethics is meant to provide us with a precise rule or mechanical decision procedure that can crank out the right answer for our morally complex case. |
| Explain the following objections to Virtue ethics:the ‘who are the role models’ objection: | It is difficult to decide who our role models should be if different people endorse different candidates. |
| Explain the following objections to Virtue ethics:The conflict and contradiction objection: | If there are many virtuous people, then what happens if they disagree about what to do in a given situation? These differences cause contradictions. |
| Explain the following objections to Virtue ethics:The priority problem | Virtue ethicists deny that we can know our duty before knowing how virtuous people characteristically behave |
| What are the four central claims of Feminist | Women are the moral equals of men; women deserve our respect;are vital to a full-accurate understanding of morality Women traits are equally as important as mens;feminine ways of moral reasoning are often superior to; masculine ways of reasoning. |
| What is the Feminist critique of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development? | women reach the third stage of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. Gilligan stated men and women have different tendencies viewing morality. Women tended to emphasize empathy/compassion over notions of morality that r privileged in Kohlberg's scale. |
| What aspects of women’s experience do Feminists argue must be considered in an adequate moral theory? | That the “women’s experience”, other than childbirth, is something created under the oppression of man. The experience of women would be identical to man’s, except for biological circumstances |
| What is the Ethics of Care? | A loving mother’s care for her children as a model for all moral behavior. (P-280) care helps us understand what others need and motivates us to tend to those needs- central to moral motivation and discovery |
| What is cultural relativism? | An act is morally acceptable because it is allowed by the guiding ideals of the society in which it is performed, and immoral just because it is forbidden by those ideals It claims that the correct moral standards are relative to cultures or societies |
| What is ethical subjectivism? | It claims that the correct moral standards are those endorsed by each individual |
| What are the following ‘implications’ of cultural relativism and ethical subjectivism: | Moral Infallibility No culture or individual can ever be wrong. (P-294) Moral Equivalence Everyone’s basic moral views are as plausible as everyone else’s (P-296) |
Created by:
100000748957548