ETHICS Test 1

World where everyone butts lines. There would be no lines. so it fails

A (no need to test b)

universal law formulation part a in simple terms

A is like if everyone does it, can I still do it

How do you think the Vatican would respond to Corvino's objection regarding the "proper function" of sex?

About the intention. As long as the sterile couple is intending to procreate (miracles). But Corvino would reap

a finite set of statements, called premises, that are intended to support the truth of another statement, the conclusion

Argument

___ (either through physical force or threats) violates the "voluntary" aspect of Mappes' requirement

Coercion

Concerned with cases in which performing an action would have at least one good effect and one bad effect

Doctrine of Double Effect

An action that would cause at least one evil effect and at least one good effect is morally permissible if and only if all of the following conditions are met: intrinsic permissibility, necessity, non intentionality, proportionality

Doctrine of Double effect

The study of how we ought to live with others and ourselves

Ethics

when its goodness is a matter of how it is related to something else that is intrinsically good

Extrinsic value

the premises are true

Good content

the premises actually support the conclusion

Good form

o 1. Love and exclusive commitment are constituents of a marriage. o 2. Given the connection between love, commitment, and sex, sexual fidelity is an ideal in marriage. o 3. If fidelity is an ideal in marriage, a virtuous person would strive to realize it and would avoid engaging in activities that are contrary to this ideal. o 4. An action is morally wrong if and only if it is what a virtuous agent would not do. o 1. Love and exclusive commitment are constituents of a marriage. o 2. Given the connection between love, commitment, and sex, sexual fidelity is an ideal in marriage. o 3. If fidelity is an ideal in marriage, a virtuous person would strive to realize it and would avoid engaging in activities that are contrary to this ideal. o 4. An action is morally wrong if and only if it is what a virtuous agent would not do. Whose argument is this on adultery?

Halwani

According to Aquinas's version of natural law theory, there are four basic intrinsic goods. What are they?

Human life, Human procreation, Human knowledge, Human sociability

• (H) An action is right if and only if (and because) the action treats persons (including oneself) as ends in themselves and not as mere means.

Humanity formulatioj

• Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end (with respect) and never as a means only.

Humanity formulation

DDE: An action that would bring about at least one evil effect and at least one good effect is morally permissible if (and only if) the following conclusions are satisfied, what are the following conclusions

Intrinsic permissibility, Necessity, Nonintentionality, Proportionally

when its value depends on features that are inherent to it

Intrinsic value

Who said this quote: o "If ... the action is good only as a means to something else, then the imperative is hypothetical; if it is conceived as good in itself and consequently as being necessarily the principle of a will which of itself conforms to reason, then it is categorical..."

Kant

o "A sexually uses B if and only if A intentionally acts in a way that violates the requirement that Bs sexual involvement with A be based on Bs voluntary informed consent"

Mappes' main principle of sexual morality

An action is right if and only it (and because) in performing the action one does not directly violate any of the basic values

Natural Law Theory

The basic idea behind _____ There are objectively true moral principles that are grounded in HUMAN NATURE. In other words, there are objective facts about human nature that determine what human GOOD consists in.

Natural law theory

_____ is when An action is right if and only if (and because) in performing the action one does not directly violate any of these basic values. Human life, Human procreation, Human knowledge, Human sociability

Natural law theory

Actions that one morally ought to do, that it would be wrong to fail to do, right in the narrow sense

Obligatory actions

Actions that are not obligatory and are not wrong. Morally speaking they are all right to do and all right not to do

Optional actions

seeks to answer the deepest questions about any subject

Philosopher

love of wisdom

Philosophy

Corvino's response to unusual or abnormal

Response: other things are unusual but nor immoral (writing in Sanskrit, farming goats, being a priest)

Father of philosophy for the Catholic church

St. Thomas Aquinas

Natural law theory often traced to philosopher ____

St. Thomas Aquinas

o Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.

Universal law formulation

Vatican response to • Corvino's argument about proper functions, like mouth you can speak without eating, not 1 function always needs to be performing when you use your mouth

Vatican's would respond, we're not saying everytime you use the penis you have to be trying to procreate. That's crazy, not when you're peeing. Just everytime you're engaged in sex and sexual activities

2 warnings about liberal/conservative

You can be liberal about one thing and conservative about another AND There is no one conservative or liberal moderate position on any one topic

Halwani argues that a)infidelity is generally (but not necessarily) wrong when you are involved in an exclusive relationship b) we all have an obligation to be monogamous, regardless of the kind of relationship we are in c) sex outside of marriage is always morally wrong d) adultery is wrong in all conceivable cases

a

Halwani believes there is no single answer to the question "Would a virtuous person refrain from committing adultery" a) true b) false

a

In satisfying Kant's humanity formulation of the categorical imperative, we are obligated to adopt to very general goals. The goal of promoting the morally permissible ends of others, and the goals of: A) self perfection B) producing happiness C) increasing welfare D) self-sacrifice

a

Natural law theory is a balue based moral theory. True or false a) true b) false

a

Person A says to B "I am going to steal your car unless you agree to clean out my garage on Saturday. A's proposal is A) a threat B) an offer C) Both a and b D) Neither a nor b

a

Which of the following is NOT a premise in Halwani's argument that adultery is wrong a) sex is permissible only if it takes place in a context where commitment is guaranteed b) Love and exclusive commitment are components of a marriage c) Given the connection between love, commitment, and sex, sexual fidelity is an ideal in marriage d) If fidelity is an ideal in marriage, a virtuous person would strive to realize it and would avoid engaging in activities that are contrary to this ideal

a

a general moral statement that specifies conditions under which an action is right (or wrong) or that something is intrinsically good (or bad).

a moral principle

Corvino's response to is not in accordance with innate desires

a. Form is bad. Just because it's innate doesn't mean it's good (tendency to act aggressively doesn't mean you should) b. Even if it is a lifestyle choice, that doesn't make it wrong c. Content bad - its been shown that homosexuals are born that way

Corvino's response to disgusting or offensive

a. Other offensive activities (cleaning toilets) are not immoral b. Also, someone could love something but someone else could find it disgusting c. Overtime, what disgusts you can change

Corvino's response to not practiced by other animals

a. There are homosexual animals, so content is bad b. Why should animal morality mirror human morality (ex. Animals don't brush their teeth)

In ethics, the terms "right" and "wrong" are used primarily to evaluate the morality of ____

actions

• Halwani thinks that virtue ethics has at least 3 important advantages over rival moral theories: what are they

allows for the possibility that there's no one right answer for every moral problem, is not in tension with moral luck, does not radically distinguish between the moral and the non-moral

According to the Vatican, the proper function of sexual behavior is a) pleasurable interaction between mutually consenting individuals b) mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love c) the production of character-building temptation d) the repression of corrupting inclinations

b

According to the humanity formulation of Kant's principle, we must treat persons a) never as a means b) never as a mere means c) in ways that produce the most good for everyone concerned d) in ways that serve one's own best interest

b

If you were to evaluate the following argument—John Stewart is a comedian, therefore John Steward is an American comedian, what would you say? a) good content, good form b) good content, bad form c) bad content, good form d) bad content, bad form

b

In ethics, the terms "right" and "wrong" are used primarily to evaluate the morality of a) persons b) actions c) consequences d) concrete objects

b

Mappes claims that forcible rape is the most obvious way of sexually using another person via deception A) True B) False

b

Person A says to B "I will take you to the new movie on Saturday if you clean out my garage". This proposal is a) a threat b) an offer c) both a and b d) neither a nor b

b

The Doctrine of Double Effect is named this way because it concerns: a) actions that are combinations of simpler actions b) cases in which performing an action would have at least one good effect and one bad effect c) cases in which an action would have at least two good effects or two bad effects d) cases in which two actions of the same type are performed at the same time

b

universal law formulation part b in simple terms

b is like can you consistently rationally will such a world

Corvino's response to violates an organ's principle purpose

b. Who's to say an organ has a primary function? c. If I use my mouth, do I always have to be eating? Must I eat when I talk?

According to John Corvino, if it is true that some people are born with homosexual tendencies, then: a) they ought to act on those tendencies b) they ought not to act on those tendencies c) nothing follows about what such people morally ought or ought not to do regarding those tendencies d) all of the above

c

According to the basic principle of Natural Law Theory, an action is right if and only if a) The action only indirectly violates some of the basic values b) The action is a of a type that the laws of natural selection have favores c) in performing the action one does not directly violate any of the basic values d) none of the above

c

Person A says to B "I will pay you $10,000 to have sex with me (the person desperately needs this money. A's proposal is most likely a) a case of occurent coercion b) a non-exploitative offer c) an exploitative offer d) a threat

c

society. If everyone were homosexual, there would be no society? a) The argument only rules out exclusive homosexuality, homosexual people can still procreate through occasional hetero sex b) The argument ignored new technology, like in vitro fertilization, that allows homosexuals to reproduce without heterosexual sex c) both a and b d) Neither a nor b. Corvino thinks this argument is good.

c

• Kant thinks that the right motives are derived from a principle that every rational person must accept. He calls this the ____. This is what ensures that your will is good.

categorical imperative

• The idea that lies behind the ____ seems quite intuitive and powerful: If you really think some act is moral, you should have no problem with everyone doing it. If it's a moral thing to do, shouldn't you rationally will everyone to do it?

categorical imperative

o Virtue of ___ is acquired through habituation, rather than from "a process of nature" (61).

character

Virtue ethics focuses on our moral ___ rather than finding moral rules that classify ___ into right and wrong.

character, actions

• The differences among ___, ____, ___ views on most any moral issue have to do with the range of behavior that is taken to be morally permissible

conservative, liberal, moderate

In evaluating arguments, good content means that: a) the conclusion is true b) the conclusion supports the premises c) the premises support the conclusion d) none of the above

d

Kant refers to the special worth or value of persons as a) virtue b) beauty c) praiseworthiness d) dignity

d

Which of the following is not a basic intrinsic good, according to Aquinas at least? a) human sociability b) human procreation c) human life d) human pleasure

d

____ (either through lying or withholding information violates the "informed" aspect of Mappes' requirement)

deception

• You escape the imperative by changing your desires (love letter, you should do this, I don't want to write one anymore) o In these cases, you have a certain ____. You recognize that a certain course of action would help you get what you desire. So you conclude that you should follow the indicated plan (write romantic things, attend class regularly, etc.).

desire

___ are those that cannot be justified by the doctrine of double effect

direct violations

__ coercion (undermines the volunatriness of consent (like threats)

dispositional

we can see that direct violations are those that cannot be justified by the ___

doctrine of double effect

some theories do not define rightness in terms of goodness, these are _____, theories that take the concept of duty to be basic and so define or characterize the rightness of actions independently of considerations of goodness

duty based moral theories

___ characterize the right independently of considerations of value.

duty based theories

greek term for flourishing/living the happy or good life

eudaimonia

third way to violate. o Offers are proposals to reward an individual for compliance; they do not propose punishment for noncompliance. So they differ from threats. Threats to propose punishment for noncompliance and they do not propose any reward for compliance

exploitation

Kant believes you can lie under certain circumstances. true or false

false

o For Aristotle, each biological species has a ____. And the good (that is, what it takes to flourish) of each species depends on its function.

function

Every good argument must meet 2 conditions, what are they

good content and form

According to Kant, what makes us moral is that we have ____

good will

____ ___ means having the right intentions

good will

• Thomas Mappes' article is an application of Kant's ____ Formulation

humanity

In these cases, you have a certain ____. You recognize that a certain course of action would help you get what you desire. So you conclude that you should follow the indicated plan (write romantic things, attend class regularly, etc.). o These are _____ because you can escape the command/demand by just losing or renouncing the desire.

hypothetical imperatives

o Kant thinks that moral requirements are different; they are not ____

hypothetical imperatives

• Kant would say all rules of etiquette are

hypothetical imperatives

____ are conditional, whereas __ are absolute.

hypothetical imperatives, categorical imperatives

The natural law theory bases right action on considerations of ____ value

intrinsic

Conditions for Doctrine of Double effect

intrinsic permissibility, necessity, non intentionality, proportionality

stealing is wrong UL) because if universalized there would be no more private property and so stealing is impossible. (H) because it involves using another as a mere means. who's answer is this?

kant

____ are CATEGORICAL. They are ABSOLUTE. No matter what your feelings, desires, and inclinations happen to be, and even what the immediate consequences of your action might be, you should, for example, try to help needy people.

moral requirements

stealing is wrong because it undermines the intrinsic good of human sociability. who's answer is this?

natural law

o Halwani accepts that there are possible cases where adultery is not wrong. This makes Halwani's conclusion

non-absolutist

• Q: Where do you think Kant stands on the issue of capital punishment? Do you think that he would be for it or against?

o Capital punishment IS respectful o Kant rejects deterrent rehabilitation as a punishment o He ONLY accepts retribution, justice is righting wrong • So capital punishment is respectful

• Q: So can an offer ever be coercive?

o Mappes would say the offer doesn't undermine the voluntary concept. Based on a want vs. a need

• Do zombies have worth and dignity?

o No, b/c they're not human o They're not capable of reason and they can't think rationally o So they do not posses inherent worth and dignity

____ coercion (as in the case of forcible rape) destroys consent entirely

occurent

universal law formulation part a

one can both (a) consistently conceive of everyone adopting and acting on the general policy (that is, the maxim) of one's action

universal law formulation part b

one can consistently will that everyone act on that maxim.

theory should offer practical guidance for how we might arrive at correct or justified moral verdicts (cigarette example, more people's pleasure would go down)

practical aim

to offer practical guidance for how we might arrive at correct or justified moral verdicts about matters of moral concern - verdicts which we can then use to help guide choice

practical aim of a moral theory

moral principles that specify conditions under which an action is right (or wrong).

principles of right conduct

moral principles that specify conditions under which something is intrinsically good (or bad). (natural law theory)

principles of value

Zombies and animals don't have worth and dignity. that is because they are not human and are not ___ ___

rational beings

The fact that every human has inherent worth and dignity means that that people should be treated with ____. This means that people should be treated equally. They should never be treated as only a means. They should always be treated as ends.

respect

Kant's own examples for universal law theory (4 of them)

suicide, false promising, rusting talents, helping others

theory should explain what makes right actions right and wrong actions wrong.

theoretical aim

to discover those underlying features of actions, persons, and other items of moral evaluation that make them right or wrong

theoretical aim of a moral theory

Two main aims of moral theory, ___ and __

theoretical, practical

virtue of ___ arises and grows mostly from teaching, and hence needs experience and time"

thought

there are two sorts of virtue: ___ and __

thought, character

The philosophical approach to ethics

to defend answers with reasons

o Twice Halwani mentions that "it does not seem to be in our nature to be sexually monogamous." He thinks that this is "no good reason to throw away a good marriage." true or false

true

true or false o A moral theory is typically composed of moral principles (sometimes a single, fundamental, principle) that are intended to serve as criteria of the right and the good (thus satisfying the theoretical aim) and are also intended to be useful in guiding moral thinking toward correct, or at least justified conclusions about some moral issue

true

true or false o None of us is naturally virtuous.

true

true or false • Actions can be morally required to do (is one's duty), or morally optional, or morally wrong

true

true or false • The fact that every person has inherent worth and dignity does not mean that everyone is good. Nor does it even mean that human nature is basically good.

true

An action is right if and only if one can both (a) consistently conceive of everyone adopting and acting on the general policy (that is, the maxim) of one's action, AND also (b) consistently will that everyone act on that maxim.

universal law formulation

Kant formulates this imperative in several ways. We will look at only two of them: the ___ and ___

universal law formulation, humanity formulation

Corvino's 5 meanings of unnatural

unusual or abnormal, not practiced by other animals, is not in accordance with innate desires, violates and organ's principle purpose, disgusting or offensive

Natural Law theory is a ___ based theory

value

___ include versions of consequentialism, natural law theory, and virtue ethics

value based moral theories

___ make the good (intrinsic value) more basic than the right and define or characterize the right in terms of the good.

value based theories

The __ presents a conservative sexual ethic based on some elements of natural law theory

vatican declaration

The ____ is hugely influenced by Aquinas's claim that one of the 4 basic human goods is human procreation

vatican declaration

a character trait that allows us to act well in a habitual way

virtue

stealing is wrong because it corrupts one's character. who's answer is this?

virtue ethics

What is the special function of a human being? Well, we humans are rational, social animals. So, to fulfill our function as humans we need to live rationally and successfully in society. Now, ____ are necessary to live rationally and successfully in society. ___ make it impossible to do this.

virtues, vices

• Our moral character is good when we possess ____ rather than ___.

virtues, vices

Virtue ethics, the primary question is not what should i do, it is ___

what sort of person should i be?

Kant speaks of the inherent ___ and ___ of every PERSON.

worth, dignity

Humanity theory for rusting talents

• Disrespectful to yourself, not going to do that for yourself

Humanity theory for helping others

• Disrespecting others

Kant - false promising test

• Doesn't pass A b/c no one would loan if they know everyone id lying

Kant - suicide test

• Doesn't pass B b/c you cant improve yourself if you're gone, goes against maxim

Humanity theory for suicide

• Don't commit suicide because your disrespecting yourself

Humanity theory for false promising

• Not ok because you're using someone as a mere means

Kant - rusting talents test

• Passes a (example, Tahiti) • Fails B (related to suicide. If loving/ignoring yourself, if you don't enhance your natural talents, it's irrational

Kant - helping others test

• Would pass a • Irrational for b for same reason as rusting talents