Philosophy Exam 3

Consequentialism

maintains that morality, and moral terms, are defined solely by end-result or consequences. (Right/wrong) (just/unjust) (duty of obligation)

Example of Moral principle

it is morally wrong to intentionally take the life of an innocent person; and the punishment should fit the crime.

Explain the hierarchal structure of moral reasoning

(Top of Structure) Metaethics: the search for ultimate justification in ethics Moral theory: Moral theories evolve out of an area of inquiry within ethics known as metaethics Moral principle(s): Moral principles come from moral theories Moral judgment: Specific moral judgments evolve out of moral principles Moral action: As rational individuals, our specific moral actions come from the specific moral judgments or decisions we render (Bottom of Structure)

Ethical Egoism vs Psychological Egoism

Ethical Egoism: each person has 1 primary duty, it is to maximize self- interest Psychological Egoism: theory of human motivation, human beings are "hardwired" in a way that they always seek to maximize self interest

Ethical Egoism versus Altruism:

Ethical Egoism: every individual has 1 primary duty, it is to maximize self-interest. These terms are polar opposites. Altruism: the view that we sometimes have duties to act unselfishly on behalf of others.

Ethical egoism

Ethical egoism is a consequentialist moral theory because it maintains that individuals act rightly to the extent that each person maximizes SELF-INTEREST as an end. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist moral theory because it maintains that individuals act rightly to the extent that their actions or rules maximize OVERALL HAPPINESS as an end.

The meaning behind ("ought implies can")

I have a duty to perform an action if, and only if, I can perform it (this is the principle of "ought implies can") -for example, a person doesn't have a duty to fly like a bird, because the person in incapable of flying; nor does any person have a duty to see through walls with x-ray vision, because no person has this ability

Normative Ethics vs Descriptive Ethics

Normative ethics critiques the morality of people in general as well as that of social groups by way of evaluating whether these social practices are consistent with the way people OUGHT to behave. Descriptive Ethics: Is simply an account of the way people and societies do IN FACT behave

Example of moral action

casting our vote as jurors that Tsarnaev be executed

Example of Moral Judgment

deciding Tsarnaev should be executed; and deciding to cast our vote accordingly

Factual/ Descriptive Propositions:

statements of perceived fact; non value judgements

Example of Metaethics

the search for ultimate justification in ethics

Normative propositions:

value judgements; a person expresses positive or negative attitudes towards something

Example of Moral Theory

we ought to maximize the overall balance of unhappiness over unhappiness (this is a moral theory known as utilitarianism); we calculate that executing Tsarnaev will maximize the overall balance of happiness over unhappiness