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