Chapter 2
Right to pursue happiness
within a right ethical theory, the guarantee that individuals may seek happiness any way they like, assuming they don't encroach upon the freedom of others
Right to freedom
within a rights ethic theory, the guarantee that individuals may do as they please, assuming their actions don't encroach upon the freedom of others
Welfare rights
within a rights ethical theory, obligations society holds to provide minimal conditions allowing individuals their free pursuit of happiness
Right to free speech
within a rights ethical theory, the guarantee that individuals may say what they like, assuming their speech doesn't encroach upon the freedom of others
Right to life
within a rights ethics theory, the responsibility to respect the life of all individuals
Right
a justified claim against others
Categorical imperative
an ethical rule that does not depend on circumstances
Duty to others
ethical responsibilities for others
Duty to ourselves
ethical responsibilities we hold to ourselves, determining how we live and treat ourselves
Dignity principle
in ethics, the requirement that people be treated as holding intrinsic value
Consistency principle
in ethics, the requirement that similar people in similar situations be treated in similar ways
Positive rights
obligations others have to help protect and preserve my basic, negative rights
Duty to reparation
the duty to compensate others when we harm them
Duty to fidelity
the duty to keep our promises and hold up our end of bargains
Duty to beneficence
the duty to promote others' welfare so far it is possible and reasonable
Duty to honesty
the duty to tell the truth and not leave anything important out
Duty of gratitude
the duty to thank and remember those who help us
Fairness
the duty to treat equals equally and unequal unequally
Duty to respect others
the duty to treat others as valuable in themselves and not as tools for your own projects
Duty to avoid wronging others
the duty to treat others as you would like to be treated by them
Duty to do ourselves no harm
the ethical duty to ourselves, requiring us to respect our being by not harming or abusing ourselves
Duty to develop our abilities and talents
the ethical duty to ourselves, requiring us to respect our innate abilities by working them out to their full potential
Ends
the goals you want to reach, as distinct from what you need to do to reach them
Veil of ignorance
the idea that when you set up rules for resolving dilemmas, you don't get to know beforehand which side of the rules you will fall on
Duty
the moral obligation to perform an act that is right, consequences
Negative rights
those rights that require others to not interfere with me and whatever I'm doing
Perennial Duties
those specific requirements for action that have subsisted through history, for example, the duty not to steal
Means
what you do in order to reach a goal
Universalizable action
within Kant's theory of the categorical imperative, an action that could be carried out by everyone all the time. For example, telling the truth
People as ends, not means
within Kant's theory of the categorical imperative, the requirement that people not be used as instruments to get something else
Right to possessions
within a right ethical theory, the guarantee that individuals and organizations may earn freely and keep what they have made
Libertarian
within ethical theory, the acceptance of basic rights as the providers of moral guidance, with emphasis attached to the right to our possessions and the fruits of our work
Right to religious expression
within rights ethical theory, the guarantee that individuals may express religious beliefs freely, assuming their acts don't encroach upon the freedom of others
