HTH-330 Christian Ethics Quiz #3

Appetite

Lowest function, the urge to satisfy our physical needs such as hunger, thirst, and sex. We share this function with animals

Spirit

Middle function, involves human drives like anger or ambition. frequently in conflict with the desire of the appetite. No pain, no gain...

Ayn Rand

Name associated with Ethical Egoism

Intrinsic Goods

Objects of desire that are good because of their own nature

Instrumental Goods

Objects of desire that are good because they are effective means to attaining intrinsic goods

Wisdom

Reason

Principle of Uitility

Act in such a way that will maximize utility

Plato's Virtue Theory

Activities of the soul

Rule Utilitarianism

An act is right if and only if it falls under the correct moral rule that covers the generic type of act

Temperance

Appetite

Hedonists

Believe that all pleasure is good, that pleasure is the only thing good in itself and that all other goodness is derived from pleasure

Deontological Ethics

Denies that consequences are the sole determinant of rightness or wrongness. It holds that some acts and intrinsically right or wrong from a moral point of view, regardless of the consequences

Non-hedonists

Do not believe that pleasure is the only intrinsic good

Ethical Egoism

Everyone ought always to do those acts that will best serve his or her own self-interest (ought statement or normative or perspective theory)

Virtue Ethics

Focuses on the nature and formation of a good or virtuous person, or the sort of dispositions and character traits that constitute a good person. A good or virtuous person is one who is functioning properly as a human being ought to function and is skilled at life.

Ethical Rationalism

Form of deontology defended by Immanuel Kant

Reason

Highest function, channels the appetite and Spirit into their proper uses

Courage (will, desire)

Spirit

Act Utilitarianism

The act is right if and only if no other act available to the agent maximizes utility more than the act in question

Utility

The pleasing (or good) consequences of actions as they impact people

Teleological Ethics

The rightness or wrongness of an act is exclusively determined by the goodness or badness of the consequences of an act

Utilitarianism

The rightness or wrongness of an act or moral rule is solely a matter of the nonmoral good produced directly or indirectly in the consequences of that act or rule (the greatest goodness for the greatest amount of people)

Kantian Deontology

The source of moral principles is reason alone, such that everyone is able to discover what the right things to do is purely by means of reason

Deontology

The view that moral rightness or wrongness is not completely determined by the consequences of an act

Virtue Theory

Virtue itself is the most important. Good character triats that result in good acts

Aristotle's Virtue Theory

Virtues are known by observing and comparing actual concrete events. Virtues are a middle ground between two vices, which depend on either excess or deficiency.

Psychological Egoism

We always do that act which we perceive to be in our own self-interest (fact statement or descriptive theory)