Doing Ethics - chapter 1
3 Drawbacks of Ethical Obliviousness
- undermines personal freedom - increased chances that your moral approach will be incomplete, confused, mistaken for - no intellectual moral growth
Elements of Ethics: Universal Perspective
A moral that applies in one situation must also be applied in other relatively similar situations
3 Types of Ethics
Applied Ethics Normative Ethics Meta-ethics
Morality
Beliefs concerning right and wrong, good and bad; can include judgements, rules, principles and theories
Divine Command Theory
God literally defines right and wrong.
Elements of Ethics: Dominance of Moral Norms
Moral norms dominate/seem to stand out in the world from other norms eg. aesthetic norms, legal norms, etc.
Descriptive Ethics
The SCIENTIFIC study of moral beliefs and practices.
Applied Ethics
The application of moral norms to specific moral issues or cases. - Newer area of philosophy - Connected to academic background, like media/business/law/medicine
Ethics
The philosophical study of morality - a branch of philosophy
Logic
The study of correct reasoning
Epistemology
The study of knowledge
Metaethics
The study of the meaning and logical structure of moral beliefs. - It doesn't ask whether an action is right, it asks what is MEANS to be right.
Normative Ethics
The study of the principles, rules or theories that guide our actions and judgements. - Create prescriptive measures as to how someone should live their life.
2 Branches of Philosophy
Theoretical - the activity of speculation, or in-depth contemplation. Practical - agency, action
Philosophy
Use of critical reasoning to answer the most fundamental questions in life
Elements of Ethics: The Preeminence of Reason
Using reason to justify ethical decisions or moral judgement - The reasons have to be good. (logical argument)
Extrinsically Valuable
Value as a means to something else
Intrinsically Valubale
Value in itself, for it's own sake
Elements of Ethics: Principle of Impartiality
We must treat others equally
Value
What is morally good, bad, praiseworthy or blame worthy
Obligation
What we ought to do
