ethics quiz 1 (intro & ch. 1)

what is the potter box? what are the four dimensions of moral analysis?

definition, values, principles, loyalties *definition (empirical) - sociological, immediate, external *identifying values- both positive and negative: philosophical, reflective, internal *appeal to ethical principles: virtue, duty, utility, rights, love *choosing loyalties

what are ethics?

ethics is the discipline dealing with what is morally right or wrong, good or bad.

Based on Duty: Kant's Categorical Imperative *Main Ideas *Higher Truths *Deontological Ethics *Application

"Act only on that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law" **Main Ideas: ethics are objective, any genuine moral obligation can be universalized, categorical = unconditional, what is right must be done regardless of circumstances, existence of higher truths, deontological ethics. **Higher Truths: Kant called these noumena, superior to reason, transcend physical universe, innate in human beings, apprehended by conscience NOT reason. **Deontological Ethics: from deon (Greek for duty), rule determines the result, rule is the basis of the act, rule is good regardless of the act, result always calculated within the rules **Application: Moral law is unconditionally blinding on all rational beings, certain actions are always wrong, certain actions are always right, examples: cheating, stealing, and dishonesty wrong; benevolence and truth telling right.

Based on Rights: Rawls' Veil of Ignorance *Main Ideas *Two principles

"Justice emerges when negotiating without social differentiations." **Main Ideas: fairness fundamental of justice, egalitarian perspective, fairness as quantitative in basic cases, elimination of arbitrary distinction, emphasizes the morally appropriate action, not the action that benefits the most people. **Veil of Ignorance: roles and social differentiations eliminated, race, class, gender and other personality features suspended behind the veil, equality behind the veil intended to protect the weaker party and minimize risks. **Two principles: 1. Maximize systems of equal basic liberty. 2. All social goods other than liberty may be distributed unequally only if distribution favors the least advantaged side.

Based on Duty: Islam's Divine Commands *What are the divine commands? *What is Islam based on? *Tawhid *Emphasis?

"Justice, Human Dignity and Truth are Unconditional Duties" **Main Ideas: ethical principles are commanded by Allah, whatever denies a belief in God is unacceptable, Islam considers justice to be the essence of Islam itself, respecting human dignity is the second major principle revealed in the Qur'an, Truth is an additional pillar of Islamic.

Based on Love: Judeo-Christian Persons as Ends *Main Ideas *Agape Love

"Love your neighbor as yourself" "what is the Will of Heaven like? The answer is - To love all men everywhere" **Main Ideas: all moral obligations derived from the command to love God and humankind, love for neighbor as normative, regard for others as personal not legalistic (as with Rawls' contract), humans made in the image of God and with unconditional value regardless of circumstances. **Agape Love: unselfishness, other-regarding care, much more than friendship clarity or benevolence, to love is to accept a person as he or she is with unalterable commitment and permanent loyalty, people are NEVER given instrumental value. ***Concerns: •failure of adherents to practice agape love •love vs justice •reason as distinct from discernment •whether agape is universal or had continuity with other alternatives ***Advantages: •practical, gives help to those who need it •avoids discrimination without denying distinctions •does not presume to assign value to an individual

Based on Virtue: Confucius' Golden Mean main ideas? what is equilibrium and harmony? identifying extremes? Jen/ren?

"Moral Virtue is the appropriate location between two extremes" **Main Ideas: rooted in virtue, virtue as benevolence, kindness, generosity and balance (a mean between two extremes), excellence depends on character not social position **Equilibrium and Harmony: "Equilibrium (chung) is the great root from which grow all human actings in the world. Harmony (yung) is the universal path all should pursue. Let's the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish." **Applying Confucius' Golden Mean: 1. Identify all extremes 2. Resolve competing obligations using the Golden Mean 3. Reject any extremes 4. Choose the middle path **REN= benevolence, charity, humanity, love (kindness) (love others)

Based on Utility: Mill's Principle of Utility *Main Ideas *The Good End *Application *What are two types of utilitarianism?

"Seek the greatest happiness for the greatest number" **Main Ideas: consider what course will yield the best consequences for the welfare of human beings, ethical choice produces the greatest balance of good over evil, good end must be promoted, bad end must be restrained. **The Good End: happiness or pleasure, To Mill preventing pain and promoting pleasure are the only desirable ends, pluralistic utilitarians argue that other values besides happiness possess intrinsic worth (friendship, knowledge, health). -rightness or wrongness assessed according to total value ultimately produced. **Application: 1. Calculate the consequences of various options. How much benefit and how much harm would result in the lives of everyone affected, including ourselves? 2. Choose the alternative that both A. Produces the greatest possible balance of good over evil. B. Distributes this balance as widely as possible. **Two Types of Utilitarianism: 1. Act Utilitarianism: Greatest good in a specific case - will a particular action in a particular situation result in a balance of good over evil? 2. Rule Utilitarianism: Greatest good for general welfare - Will a general rule result in a balance of good over evil?

Based on Love: Noddings' Relational Ethics *Main Ideas *Who are the two parties in a relation and what do they do?

"The 'one-caring' attends to the 'cared-for' in thoughts and deeds" **Main Ideas: Ethics rooted in relationships, emphasizes nurturing and caring for people, not avoiding harm to others, roles of the one-caring and cared-for, three dimensions: engrossment, individual displacement and reciprocity.

Based on Virtue: Aristotle's Mean what are the four cardinal values? what is the principle? what is the mean between the two vices? what is the middle state mean? when is aristotle's principle the most appealing?

*"Moral Virtue is a middle state determined by practical wisdom" *four cardinal values: Temperance, Justice, Courage, Wisdom *Main Ideas: propriety over duty or love, character over conduct, outer behavior as a reflection of inner disposition, equilibrium and harmony. *Practical Wisdom applied to "individual facts" by locating "the mean between two vices, that which depends on excess and that which depends on defect." *Not all actions or emotions can be justified by a middle state. what actions and emotions are intrinsically wicked whether or not they are practiced with temperance? -spite -shamelessness -envy -adultery -theft -murder *Aristotle's mean involves the correct quantity, the correct timing, the correct people, the correct motives and the correct manner

Based on Love: Ubuntu's Human Dignity *Ubuntu principle *How is ethical news defined? *Community Media *Hutchins Commission on Freedom of the Press

**Ubuntu Principle: an act is wrong if it fails to strengthen communal relationships and "tends to encourage the opposites of division and ill will. All humans deserve friendly relationships." **The media have an obligation to present content that would be good for people in the sense of being likely to improve their quality of life. **Community Media: if they follow the ubuntu principle, can maximize people's control over the social conditions that shape their lives. **Hutchins Commission on Freedom of the Press: in this well-known document, the news media should provide "A truthful, comprehensive and intelligent account of the day's events in a context which gives them meaning"; serve as a "forum for the exchange of comment and criticism"; give a "representative picture of the constituent of groups in society"; help in the "presentation and clarification of the goals and values of society"; and "provide full access to the day's intel"

To Whom is Moral Duty Owed?? Who decides? What are the five categories of obligation?

1. Duty to ourselves 2. Duty to clients/subscribers/supporters 3. Duty to our organization or firm 4. Duty to professional colleagues 5. Duty to society

what are the five categories of ethical theories?

1. Ethical Theories based on Virtue 2. Ethical Theories based on Duty 3. Ethical Theories based on Utility 4. Ethical Theories based on Rights 5. Ethical Theories based on Love

what is an ethical system?

an ethical system drives the critical process of how we work through moral issues.

what does decision-making entail?

all decision-making involves values which reflect our presuppositions about social life and human nature

what is the purpose of sound ethical reasoning?

allows us to draw responsible conclusions that yield justifiable actions and helps us determine which ethical theory is most powerful under which conditions.

how does the Potter Box help with determining ethical decision?

is there a universal ground for making ethical decisions, an overarching theory from which we can choose among competitive alternatives or is ethical decision-making simply a process of adjusting to the mores and commitments of a given community? The Potter Box accounts for both. without an appeal to an explicit principle, a conclusion is not considered morally justified.

what are the three guidelines for using ethical principles?

respect for persons, beneficence and justice

what are values?

the accepted principles or standards of an individual or group. -values are also what an individual or group estimates or evaluates as worthwhile.