Philosophy 3

Explain the demandingmness objection to utilitarianism

-Consequentialism makes demand D. -D is an unreasonable demand for a moral theory to make. -Therefore, consequentialism makes unreasonable demands

Explain two potential objections to subjectivism.

1. can make contradictions 2. no dialogue

Explain two potential objections to conventionalism.

1.makes intercultural moral criticism impossible because all cultures are equal 2.it is possible fro you to be a part of multiple cultures and when in this situation how are you supposed to pick which norms to follow

Explain the Chop up Chuck objection to utilitarianism

A doctor has a patient that is selling drugs to children on the street. He has been shot and needs surgery. Donation rules on organs has changed and everyone after death is obliged to donate their organs. There are 5 amazing good people waiting for organs for a long time and this drug dealers match. Do you kill a man and risk everything you have worked for and then donate the organs to the 5 people waiting or do you perform the surgery and save the criminal and put him back on the streets.

Explain the two types on consequentialism and how they might generate different moral decisions-making situations.

Act Consequentialism -The umbrella term for act utilitarianism -When measuring consequences or tyring to find the rightness/wrongness of an act you measure consequences at the particular act of what you are considering doing - Measurement objection • Impractical to do judgment of action everytime • Rule Consequentialism o Measuring consequences at a general rule or thumb - Maybe it makes sense to break a rule of thumb every once in a while • Lying is bad but if the consequences are good enough then maybe it is okay to lie • Once you start making exceptions for things that the general rules start to collapse • Suppose to save time but when you start making objections, it starts to collapse

Explain a potential objection to ethical absolutism

Ethical absolutism is the belief that all moral norms are binding on everyone all the time with no exceptions a problem with this theory is what are you supposed to do when two moral norms conflict with each other?

Explain a potential objection to ethic objectivism

Ethical objectivism is the belief that the validity of moral norms is completely independent of human acceptance and a problem with this belief is that if the moral norms don't come from humans then where do they come from

Explain the difference between a hypothetical imperative and a categorical one.

Hypothetical imperatives are commands fro a specific end while categorical imperatives are unconditional universal commands for all rational agents on how to be morally good. an example of a hypothetical would be if you want to ace a test you must take the test and a categorical example would be if you are a rational agent you must not kill others.

What requirements must be met in order to have a virtue? Why is it not enough just to have a disposition to perform the right action?

In order to have virtue, virtuous acts must be a habits. Because, a virtuous person doesn't need to think twice about performing virtuous acts. Thus virtuous acts performed by them are habits and not merely single acts done every once in awhile.

Golden Mean

In terms of working out a virtue, Aristotle highlighted the importance of finding a 'golden mean' in qualities of character( for Aristotle living a good life meant following the doctrine of the mean-the middle path between extremes). He said that all virtues have two vices, or extremes: the vice of deficiency (too little) and the vice of excess (too much). In the middle of those two vices lies the virtue. Finding the golden mean between the vices is how to work out a virtue; Aristotle doesn't give any tips on how to do this or what happens when people disagree on virtues, though, which is a major flaw in virtue ethics. If you take the example of the virtue of 'bravery', it may go a little like this: 1.The vice of deficiency for bravery is cowardice - there's not enough of the virtue 2.The vice of excess for bravery is foolishness - there's too much of the virtue 3.Right in the middle lies 'bravery' itself - the midway point between the two vices

Euthyphro Dilemma

It is present in Plato's Euthyphro. Went against greek custom by challenging father. -does god love the good because it is good (divine acceptance theory) -does god loving the good make it good (divine command theory)

Conventionalism

Moral rules are based on agreements in society, rather than on external reality

Explain the difference between negative duties and positive duties.

Negative duties tell us not to act in a way that could harm others and positive duties tell us to act in a way that benefits or helps others. One demands action and the other demands inaction.

Explain the two horns of the Euthyphro Dilemma, and articulate one potentially problematic implication of each?

One side of the dilemma states that God is the being/force that determined what is morally required. the problem with this stance/belief is that if god suddenly decided to make wearing purple morally required it would be wrong to not wear purple or god could decide that killing people is okay and murder is no longer morally wrong. the other is that god does not determine what is good and only approves of/accepts the what is morally good because it is already good. The problem with this stance is that it constricts god power as well as leaves the question of where morals come from unanswered.

What is the difference between performing a virtuous act, and acting virtuously? Why is that difference important for Aristotle?

Performing a virtuous act and acting virtuously is what distinguishes two people from an average person wanting to act virtuous and a virtuous person. A virtuous person acts virtuously which results in virtuous actions while non virtuous people may perform virtuous acts from time to time but that doesn't make them virtuous people.

ethical absolutism

The belief that people should exhibit the same behavior in all situations. These are branches of realism.

What is the Circularity Objection to Aristotle's virtue ethics? How might it be resolved?

The circularity objection to Aristotle's virtue ethics is as follows: who are virtuous people?, People who perform virtuous acts., What are virtuous acts?, Actions performed by virtuous people., Who are virtuous people? etc. This problem is resolved by answer the first question which is who are virtuous people. Aristotle answers this question with the golden mean, which is finding a middle ground between a vice of deficiency and vice of excess which is a virtuous act. A person whose character exhibits a mean between two extremes is a virtuous person, thus the problem is resolved.

Explain the difference between the Universalizability Formulation of the Categorical Imperative and the Humanity Formulation of the Categorical Imperative

The difference is that the Universabizability formulation is saying that you should act as everyone should act according to maxims and gives us a guide for our general actions. while the Humanity formulation says to always treat everyone as ends in themselves never merely as a means and tells us how to treat others.

Subjectivism

The validity of moral principles comes from deciding moral principles.

Ethical Objectivism

The view that there are universal and objectively valid moral principles that are relative neither to the individual nor to society. These are branches of realism.

Eudaimonia

This is present in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. He argued that the superior aim of human life is to achieve something called 'eudaemania', which means the great end of happiness - the ultimate happiness we all aim for. In order to reach eudemonia, Aristotle stated, we must be virtuous people. Aristotle argued that this is a process that we grow toward by practising virtues (similar to playing instruments= practice makes perfect)

virtuous person

This is present in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Knows what is right, wants to do what is right, and does what is right

Virtue Ethics

This is present in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Virtue Ethics are not concerned with what we ought to do, but with what kind of person we should be. It comes from the word Arête which means virtue and excellence. The first person to put forward the idea of looking inwardly in such a way was Aristotle. Proposing the ethical theory in Nicomeachean Ethics, Aristotle argued that as humans everything we want or desire should lead to happiness, because happiness is good as an end in itself.

virtuous action

This is present in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. an action that reflects the moral law and upholds human dignity; it is a morally good action

Vice of excess

This is present in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. having too much of a virtue

Vice of deficiency

This is present in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. lack of virtue

virtue

This is present in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. the good qualities in a person/life

Maxim

This is present in Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. A subjective principle of action which certain the practical rule that reason generates in conformity with the state the subject is in. (The thought)

Universalizability Formulation

This is present in Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Act as though the maxim of your action were to become through your will, a universal law of nature.

Humanity Formulation

This is present in Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Act in such a way to treat humanity, whether in your own reason or in that of anyone else, always as an end and never merely as a means.

Positive Duties

This is present in Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Actively act in some fashion.

Categorical Hypothesis

This is present in Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. An action that is good in itself and hence is necessary in a will that conforms to reason. There is no end/consequence not an order just doing it because it is moral law.

Hypothetical Hypothesis

This is present in Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. An action that would be good only as a means to something else. Something you do to accomplish.

Negative Duties

This is present in Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Refrain from acting in some function.

Deontological Ethics

This is present in Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. The view that the rightness or wrongness of actions depends on following the appropriate role.

Utility

This is present in Mill's Utilitarianism. Actions are right if they promote pleasure/happiness and wrong if they promote pain/sadness.

Act Consequentialism

This is present in Mill's Utilitarianism. The view that an act is morally right if and only if that act maximizes the goal, that is if and only if the total amount of good minus the total amount of bad for all is greater than this net amount for any incompatible act available to the agent on the occasion.

Utilitarianism

This is present in Mill's Utilitarianism. The view that the morally right action is that which produces the greatest amount of happiness for the largest amount of people.

Rule Consequentialism

This is present in Mill's Utilitarianism. The view that the rightness of an act depends on a certain code of rules, which has been selected for its good consequences.

Consequentialism

This is present in Mill's Utilitarianism. The view that the rightness or wrongness of moral actions depends solely on their consequences.

Principle of Utility

This is present in Mill's Utilitarianism. Used in utilitarianism; requires that the rule used in making a decision must bring about positive results when generalized to a wide variety of situations

Divine Command Theory

This is present in Plato's Euthyphro. The view that morally good actions are good because the gods declare them so. It one of the horns of the bull that Euthyphro has trouble defining what is good.

Ethical Relativism

This is present in Shafer-Landau's "Ethical Relativism". The view that there are no universally valid moral principles, that all moral principles are valid relative to culture or individual choice. It is a branch of relativism.

cultural realitivism

This is present in Shafer-Landau's "Ethical Relativism". The view that what is considered morally right and wrong varies from society to society, so there are no moral principles accepted by all societies. It is a branch of ethical relativism.

How is virtue acquired? Why does Aristotle think virtue can only be acquired in this way?

Virtue is acquired by exhibiting a mean between two extremes. And virtue can only be acquired by practicing virtuous acts and following virtuous people and training yourself to find the golden mean between a vice of deficiency and a vice of excess.