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)
