Exam 1: Introduction to Ethical Theory

Use the both theories to explain why stealing is bad.

A consequentialist theory would say stealing is wrong, because it causes more harm than good. A deontological theory would say stealing is wrong regardless of consequences, good or bad.

What is a moral theory?

A moral theory has to specify what it takes to be fundamental. That is, they must specify the object of moral evaluation. You can see above there is a list of general to specific (Society --> persons --> character trait --> Motive --> Intentions -- Behaviors). A good society is what we strive for. Motives is why they do the actions. Intentions is what they desire to come about.

What is the Harm Principle?

A person's liberty is justifiably restricted only to prevent harm to others caused by that person. You have absolute to do what you please, so long as it doesn't harm others or interfere with their rights. The harm principle is the least restrictive of these.

What are the criticisms of absolutism?

Absolutism seems false because situations are much too diverse to conform to one particular rule. These positions seem mutually exclusive and incompatible, but if one understands objective or objectively true, not in the sense of absolute, there is a third way out called objective relativism.

How do you acquire virtues?

Acquiring virtues is much like acquiring other skills, such as cooking and carpentry. However, virtue ethics is more than purely habitual training. One must also have a correct motivational structure.

What is the natural law theory?

Actions are right just because they are natural and wrong just because they are unnatural. The view that right actions are those that conform to moral standards discerned in nature through human reason. The belief that all of nature is directed toward particular goals or ends, and that humans achieve their highest good when they follow their true, natural inclinations leading to these goals or ends. The prime duty of humans, then, is to guide their lives toward these natural ends, acting in accordance with the requirements of natural law.

What are some examples of empirical facts of morality?

Actual behaviors, beliefs, and practices that make up one's moral experience

What is the first version of Kan'ts categorical imperative?

Always act in such a way that you can at the same time will that the maxim of your action to be a universal law of nature. DON'T MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR YOURSELF

What is the second version of Kan'ts categorical imperative?

Always treat humanity, whether in the person of yourself or another, always as an end in themselves and never as a means only. DON'T USE PEOPLE

_____ is the fundamental principle of medical ethics.

Autonomy

All ethical theories can be classified as...

Consequentialism or deontology

What is moral objectivism?

Despite differences from culture to culture, the same universal principles apply. The view that there are moral norms or principles that are valid or true for everyone. the idea that at least some moral standards are objective

Universal health care falls under which justice theory?

Egalitarian

What is the basic precept/formal principle of the theories of just distribution?

Equals should be treated equally. The idea is that people should be treated the same unless there is morally relevant reason or treating them differently.

Whenever we try to reason carefully about such things, are we using morality or ethics?

Ethics

Is ethics and morality synonymous? Why or why not?

Ethics is not synonymous with morality. Ethics seeks to know whether an action is right or wrong, what moral standards should guide conduct, whether moral principals can be justified, what moral virtues are worth cultivating and why, what ultimate ends people should persue in life, and whether there are good reasons for accepting a particular moral theory, and what the meaning is of such notions as right, wrong, good, and bad when it comes to conduct. More clarification: Ethics dives into our morals to see if it is a solid standard or practice that should be used to guide us in conduct.

What is impartiality? Give an example.

Everyone should be considered equal unless there is a morally relevant difference. Arbitrary differences make no difference. "It is a rule that forbids us from treating one person differently from another when there is no good reason to do so. But, if this explains what is wrong with racism, it also explains why in some special kinds of cases it is not racist to treat people differently. Suppose a film director was making a film about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He would have perfectly good reason for ruling out Tom Cruise from the starring role. Because there would be good reason for this, the director's discrimination would not be arbitrary, so it would not be open to criticism." -James Rachel

What are some examples of common morality?

Generally speaking, the sorts of norms that belong to the common morality include things such as do not lie to others, keep promises, do not harm others, respect the well being of others. These common concerns, though not the final word, constitute what is the raw data of the moral theory, and they serve as the common ground that allows for ethical conversation and inquiry.

What is principle of utility?

Greatest good for the greatest number; maximize the good We ought to act in such a way as to maximize value over disvalue.

How do moral norms differ from the other nonmoral norms, such as prudential norms?

If we study moral philosophy at all, it usually isn't encountered until college or even grad school. We are all taught morality as part of the culturation process. Early on, we are taught simultaneously moral rules and rules of prudence without the two being distinguished early on. Separating moral rules and rules of prudence can be difficult. For example, in our early years we are taught such rules as do not touch the stove, do not cross the street without looking both ways, brush your teeth, eat your veggies. These oughts, so called, are not rules but instead these are rules of prudence. Morality is NOT reducible to prudence, which is typically rules of self interest. Morality, on the other hand, extends beyond the self into the interest of others. These are rules such as don't lie, don't steal, share with others, etc. Note that prudence and good ethics can coincide, so it is often in good interest to act morally. However, professional practices might be prudent but still will be unethical.

What is Kant's categorical imperative?

In Kan'ts system, all our moral duties are expressed in the form of categorical imperatives.

What is the difference of normative ethics and meta ethics?

In normative ethics, we might ask whether an action is right or wrong. In metaethics, we ask what it means for an action to be right or wrong, what is the meaning of justice, how do we justify our actions?

What is virtue ethics?

Instead of looking at rules of obligation, we should be focusing on making good people, cultivating people of good character. Moral virtues are understood as morally praiseworthy character traits, such as courage, compassion, sincerity, reliability, etc. Thus, the focus is on the ideal person.

What kinds of questions do applied ethics ask?

Is abortion ever morally permissible? Should physicians assist in patients' suicide?

Morality is a normative, or evaluative, enterprise. What does this mean exactly?

It concerns moral norms or standards that help us decide the rightness of actions, judge the goodness of persons or character, and prescribe the form of moral conduct.

How did Jeremy Bentham go about calculating the maximum good?

Jeremy Benthem being the good economist that he was actually put forth what he called the hedonistic calculus. The way this works is, if you are trying to make a decision in what you do, you put down a column all the people affected and put at the top all the possible courses of action. You then calculate how much pleasure and pain goes into each person's category for each consequence, and the one that results in the most amount of pleasure is the one you are supposed to do.

What is John Rawls mitigated version of Egalitarianism?

John Rawls came up with the more mitigated version. It would be in everyone's best interest for the best and the brightest people to be the doctors and lawyers of the world. This is an inequality that is OK because it is helpful.

Who coined the Harm Principle?

John Stewart Mill was the first to coin these informal terms.

The principle of autonomy is deeply tied to what kind of ethics?

Kantian ethics (the right)

How do moral norms differ from the other nonmoral norms, such as legal norms?

Law and morality are not identical. That which is legal may be immoral and that which is illegal may still be moral. This is especially true when it comes to professional ethics. There are many practices in dentistry that are perfectly legal but they will raise ethical questions. Likewise, there will be things that are illegal but might not be immoral. These two are not reducible to one another.

What is a moral obligation?

Moral obligations concern our duties, what we ought to refrain or what we ought to be doing. This is primarily about actions. Strictly speaking, only actions are morally right or wrong. More clarification: disclose personal information to be the responsible thing to do

What is a moral principle?

Moral principles are drawn from moral theories; the principles are derived from or supported by the theory

What is universality? Give an example.

Moral principles or judgements apply in all relevantly similar situations. Example: If it is wrong for you to life in a certain circumstance, it is wrong for any person to life in the same circumstance. Logic demands a sort of consistency!!

Why is it important to avoid strong emotional reactions and feelings?

Moral reasoning, then, is much more than gut feeling. If I just feel that something is wrong, that by itself cannot justify that belief to anyone else or even to myself. A gut feeling might be the starting point for moral inquiry, but it cannot be the conclusion. It may be the best to look into the issue, to investigate, to find reason for the belief, if indeed it is justified. This is to acknowledge that feelings are part of our moral experience, they cannot be completely ignored. With this said, they cannot be the end of it. Strong emotional reactions to things like murder, abortion, or suicide are normal but our feelings can and will mislead us, reflecting not moral truth but our own psychological needs, culture, or personal biases. Strong feels can and have led us down terrible paths such as burning witches, genocide, and slavery. Critical reasoning can help us restrain our horrible impulses and can help us put our feelings into proper perspective and achieve that feeling to measure impartiality. Most of all, it can guide us to moral judgements that are supported by the best of reasons and are therefore trustworthy.

What is ethical relativism?

Moral standards are not objective but are relative to what individuals or cultures believe An action is morally right if endorsed by a person or culture and morally wrong if condensed by a person or culture. In this way, moral norms are not discovered but made.

What is a moral value?

Moral values, on the other hand, deals with things we judge to be morally good, bad, praiseworthy, or blameworthy. Normally, we use these words to describe persons, their character, or their motives. Persons are good or bad.

Is universality unique to moral norms?

No, it is a characteristic to all normative spheres.

Does the common morality means that everyone holds to these norms?

No, the evidence is the contrary, as we imprison killers, thieves, etc in order to protect society. Some of us are amoral, immoral, or perhaps even selectively moral, but any of us who are committed to the demands of the moral conduct are committed to the demands of the common morality.

What is the differences and similarities between cultural normativism and subjective relativism? What is the problem of relativism?

Normative culture relativism is much the same, but it is whatever WE think is right and whatever WE think is wrong. Subjective is personal. Normative relativism kills the possibility of moral dialogue and discourse. If we have moral agreements, dialogue and discourse is exactly what we need. Both kinds of relativism imply moral infallibility, which is difficult to swallow. Subjectivism means as long as I know what I believe, I cannot be wrong subjectively speaking. The only people that believe they can never be wrong are those that should be avoided and are dangerous people. The same is true with cultural relativism, that a culture cannot be wrong. We have seem way too many examples of cultures going awry both in our own and in others. We can be wrong, therefore, relativism is false. Simple relativism is false as it is a self contradictory position.

What is objective relativism?

Objective relativism as a slogan says that no one right answer fits every situation, but every situation has a right answer. We can still be right and wrong, but nonetheless there is a certain kind of right and wrong relativity in that we have relativity of norms and values to a situation. Once specified, then they are objective.

The ADA in our text separate nonmaleficence from beneficence, and there is probably good reason to do so, which is?

Our duty to refrain from harming others is a more compelling duty than to actively assisting one when doing so causes serious harm to another.

What is radical egalitarianism?

Radical egalitarianism is each person gets an equal share. *number 1 of the material justice

What is justice?

Refers to people getting what is fair or what is their due

What are legal rights?

Rights sanctioned by law; those can be taken away

____ utilitarianism justifies principles and settles conflicts between moral decisions.

Rule

Mill to come along and introduced _____ utilitarianism. What is this?

Rule; avoids judging rightness by specific acts and focuses instead on rules governing categories of acts because people were saying utilitarianism was just a system of expediency, and you could justify anything by saying it made you happy. Mills said that there were a lot of secondary principles. Our first appeal to any moral decision is always to these secondary principles (don't lie, don't steal, etc). In absence of conflict, we follow those rules because they maximize social utility.

Are the 10 commandments rules or principles?

Rules because "thou shall not" They tell you that a particular action is to be done or is to be forbidden. They are particular

What are rules?

Tells you what to do or what not to do

Some argue that cultural relativism implies cultural normativism. What is cultural normativism?

That is, they believe what is right over there is right over there, and what is right over here, is right over here. This view holds that cultural norms determine what is right or wrong.

What are the basics of the common morality?

The basics of the common morality are best expressed into three factors of morality. We have the good, the right, and the virtuous.

Is the golden rule a rule or principle?

The golden rule is not a rule at all, but it is a principle. It does not tell you what to do, it tells you how to go about deciding what to do.

Which material principle did Aristotle propose? What was his example?

The last one was Aristotle's that he proposed: to each person according to merit. Aristotle said that if we are a society and we find a flute, who should get the flute? The best flute player should because he would enjoy the items the best and we would enjoy him having it.

What is the Offense Principle?

The offense principle is a person's liberty is justifiably restricted to prevent offense to others by that person. This is probably the most restrictive one of all of them. Offense is anything that causes resentful (i.e., annoyed, aggravated, anger, or indignant) or irritation(loud noises, bad smells, clothing, jokes, etc.

What is the Principle of Legal Moralism?

The principle of legal moralism is a person's liberty is justifiably restricted to prevent that person's immoral behavior. This might include laws about prostitution, things that immoral and also illegal.

What is Principle of Paternalism?

The principle of paternalism is a person's liberty is justifiably restricted to prevent harm to self caused by that person. This is things that are for your own good. Some might say that helmet and seatbelt laws, for example, are things that we do for our own good.

What is common morality?

The set of universal norms shared by all persons committed to morality. Those of us who are committed to morality share a set of norms, even though these norms may be very general. We all agree that any of these norms we hold to apply to all people or to all who are members of the moral community. We can not exclude those who may not like them or who may not like us. The common morality applies to everyone!!!

What is Utilitarianism?

The view that right actions are those that result in the most beneficial good over bad. Maximize the nonmoral good of everyone effected, regardless of the contrary urgings of moral rules or unbending moral principles.

what is relativity?

There is a difference in the relativity of judgement and the relativity of standards; the absence of standards of absolute and universal application

Suppose we want to mandate the immunization of all school children to prevent the spread of deadly clinical diseases. The cost will be great, and the program will save many lives. The down side is that a small number of children will die from a rare interaction from the vaccine. It is impossible to decide who has a reaction, and it is also impossible to prevent. If our goal is social beneficence, what should we do? What kind of principle and theory is this?

They decided to pursue the program because many more lives will be saved than lost. It is a cost benefit analysis when dealing with social policy likeness. Utility principle; utilitarianism

What idea do care ethics theories reject?

They reject that ethics is based on our being autonomous agents who make our choices in a free and equal matter. Their rethinking claims that social cooperation and unchosen, intimate, and amount unequals.

What is normative dominance? Give an example.

This means moral norms take over precedence over other norms. Example: You should steal if you can avoid being caught. However, moral prohibition against stealing overrides this. (moral norm over prudence)

Why is moral infallibility bad?

This view takes away the possibility of moral progress. If a culture is infallible, then it cannot be wrong so it cannot improve. If you cannot be wrong, you cannot grow. If it changes, you still cannot be wrong or can ever have been wrong. This view leads to nonsense.

What does it mean to be right?

To be right is to be obligatory or permissible

What is reasonableness? Give an example.

To participate in morality is engage in moral reasoning. If our moral judgements are to have any weight at all, they must be backed by the best of reason. They must be the result of careful reflection from which we arrive at good reasons for accepting them. Reasons that should be accepted by other reasoned persons. In other words, we can explain it to one another. More clarification: should not include personal taste or emotional response. Moral reasoning, then, is much more than gut feeling. If I just feel that something is wrong, that by itself cannot justify that belief to anyone else or even to myself. A gut feeling might be the starting point for moral inquiry, but it cannot be the conclusion. It may be the best to look into the issue, to investigate, to find reason for the belief, if indeed it is justified. This is to acknowledge that feelings are part of our moral experience, they cannot be completely ignored. With this said, they cannot be the end of it.

T/F: a moral system composed of a powerful set of negative rights is antithetical to a moral system composed of a set of positive rights. The vice versa is also true.

True So if I had a powerful set of positive rights, our liberties are going to be limited. Likewise, if you have a powerful set of negative rights, there will be a push for positive rights as well (not sure what he is trying to say here tbh). Noticed that this is individualism versus communitarianism. One vs many.

What is the leading consequentialist theory?

Utilitarianism

What is the standard of good?

Utilitarians disagree on what is considered basic goods. For Bentham and Mill, it is pleasure. That is, they are hedonistic utilitarians (pleasure and pain are the only sources of value). Mill's theory of value, or his version of principle utility which he calls the Greatest Happiness Principle is actions are right in the proportion as they promote happiness. Wrong is the reverse of happiness. Others will argue for a different theory of basic good, even for a plurality of basic good. An important school in economics is a school called preference utilitarianism which teaches that the good is to maximize as many preferences as possible. It is up to us to maximize individuals to rank order our desires, and the idea is to have as many of those fulfilled as possible.

In terms of virtue ethics, what makes a good person?

Virtue + motives = moral, good person

What is a criticism of virtue ethics?

Virtue ethics is very useful when it comes to choosing between right and wrong. It is less useful in dealing with genuine moral dilemmas. More is needed.

What type of ethics are we learning about in this course?

We are learning bioethics which is a specialized subfield of applied ethics focused on health care, medical research, and medical technology.

Why is descriptive ethics important?

What a culture or profession believes is right is not necessarily right. It could well be that some or even many of our practices are morally questionable. We need to be vigilant in the examination of our practices as a culture and as a profession.

What is paternalism?

When a health care professional must decide what is best for the patient and act without consent (i.e. children) The overriding of a person's decision-making for her own good.

What is principlism?

When you have more than one kind of principle, notice that principles can and do conflict. There are efforts to resolve such conflicts. One of the most influential of these was proposed by W.D. Ross, a 20th century philosopher. Ross argues that we have a commonality that we share by virtue of living together. He starts by rules of obligation that do not derive from Kant or Mill. They also do not have their basis in rights. His examples are promises create obligations of fidelity, and wrongful actions create obligations of reparation. --> only arise because you live with other people in society In Ross's view, there is no overarching principle. Also, none of the obligations is ultimate. Rather, the set of obligations we have is what we call prima facie obligations (important when talking about ADA principles or bioethics principles). To find our actual obligation, we must weigh the competing prima facie obligations against each other. Is our obligation our actual obligation? In the absence of a competing obligation, a prima facie obligation is what we should do.

We are to maximize the good, which means that utilitarians believe that goods are quantifiable. What does this mean exactly?

You can measure and compare goods.

What is Kantian ethics?

You must not only do what you believe is right, but you must do so for the right reason, that is, you act from the motive of duty. Good actions only follow from a good will, and a good will is the only thing in the universe that is good in and of itself. The motive from the action comes form an appeal to a universal rule.

What is categorical imperative?

a command that applies without exception and without regard for particular needs or purposes; "do this or else"

What is an imperative?

a command to do something

Define prima facie.

a duty that is always to be acted upon unless it conflicts on a particular occasion with an equal or stronger duty

With this distinction, we can acknowledge the fact of the moral life, which is?

a good person can do something wrong, and a bad person can do something right.

What are positive rights?

a right to be provided by some good

What is William Frankena's description of beneficence?

a) one ought not to inflict evil or harm (nonmaleficence) b) one ought to prevent evil or harm c) one ought to remove evil or harm d) one ought to do or promote good (might be considered as supererogatory) IPRG = I'm preventing reopening governments **these are labeled in priority, so one takes precedent over two, etc. a is greater than b is greater than c and so on.

Jeremy Benthem's ideals came to be _____ utilitarianism . What is this?

act; every deliberation requires that we calculate the consequences by appealing to the principle of utility. Act says to evaluate particular actions of individuals only, and the rightness of an action depends solely on the relative goods produced by individual actions. In other words, for act utilitarianism, rules are completely useless. They do not tell us anything because all we ever do is calculate pleasures and pains.

What does it mean to be supererogatory?

an action that is above and beyond or duty. It is a good thing to do, but not require (i.e. charity).

What is a moral theory?

an explanation of what makes an action right or what makes a person or thing good a moral standard on the most general level

Paternalism and _______ are usually at odds with each other. This is like autonomy vs beneficence. Who decides, the doctor or the patient?

autonomy

Utilitarianism takes _____ and ______ as being important, others might do otherwise. Communitarians take _______ to be the most important.

behaviors; intentions; society

What is the absolute moral standard of Kantian ethics?

categorical imperative

The virtue contemplates...

character formation (Villains Can't Forgive)

What is hypothetical imperative?

command to do something if we want to achieve particular aims' "if you want good pay, work hard."

What is retributive justice?

concerns the fair meting out of punishment for wrongdoing

The principle of utility implies that utilitarianism is _________.

consequentialist (the morality of the action is completely determined by its consequences)

The good contemplates...

ends or outcomes (GEO)

What is distributive justice?

fair distribution of society's advantages and disadvantages how the goods and burdens of society are distributed to these members. for example, jobs, income, welfare aid, health care, rights, taxes, and public service

Persons are morally...

good or bad

What is care ethics?

it is a critical of traditional ethical theory. The ethics of care is a distinctive moral perspective that arose out of feminist concerns and grew to challenge core elements of most other moral theories. The impartiality of traditional moral theory (esp. Kant and Mill) are inadequate guides to action. Abstract formulations take us away from the concrete situation and from the relevant social and historical facts which characterize the situation. Impartiality undermines respect for the individual because it treats individuals impersonally, as interchangeable moral agents without any uniqueness.

What is egalitarian theory?

maintain that a just distribution is an equal distribution less tolerant of inequalities social benefits should be allotted so that everyone has an equal share treating people equally means making sure everyone has an equal access to certain minimal goods and services.

The bill of rights is an example of mostly ______ rights.

negative

The moral life is about grappling with a distinctive set of norms distinguished by (1), (2), (3), (4). We commonly apply these norms to two distinct spheres in the moral experience, both to ________ and to ______.

normative dominance, universality, impartiality, and reasonableness; obligation; moral values

The right contemplates...

obligations or duties (ROD)

What are principles?

offer guidelines on how to make decisions A principle is a fundamental standard of conduct which many other standards and judgements draw their support for their defense and standing.

The United Nations declaration for human rights is full of _____ rights as well.

positive For example, right to healthcare, right to shelter, right to food, right to water. These are things that someone else has to provide us with so that we have them. These are more controversial than negative rights.

A moral objectives can be absolutist about moral principles, or she can avoid absolutism by accepting the moral principles are _____.

prima facie

The ____ settles conflicts between rules.

principle of utility

What does it mean to be wrong?

prohibited

What is autonomy?

refers to a person's rational capacity for self-governance or self-determination; the ability to direct one's own life and choose for one's self

Rather than focusing on individuals, care ethics focuses on _______.

relationships

Actions are morally...

right or wrong

What are negative rights?

rights of non-interference Negative rights are largely uncontroversial. So if I have a right to practice my religion, government cannot get involved. RIGHT TO BE LEFT ALONE, nothing I am given.

What is consequentialism?

says that morality of the action is completely determined by its consequences The key question is what or how much good the actions produce, however good is defined.

What is deontolgy?

says that the rightness of actions depend not solely on their consequences but partly or entirely by their intrinsic nature Rightness depends on the kind of actions they are, not on how much goodness they produce

What is utilitarian theory?

seeks to maximize overall value with little (or no) emphasis on the individual; any arrangement that maximizes overall good.

In such situations, the utility principle says we should do what yield the best overall outcome everyone considered. The utility principle, then, is a...

supplement to, not a substitute for, the principles of autonomy, beneficence, and justice

What is libertarian theory?

tend to value economic autonomy over any sort equality. As long as we play by the rules and don't cheat, any economic distribution is fine, even if it is radically unequal. Government should not be in the business of helping the socially or economically disadvantaged, for that would require violating people's liberty by taking resources from the haves to give to the have-nots. So universal health care is out of the question.

Utilitarianism implies universalism or impartiality, meaning ______.

that everyone matters equally.

What is moral absolutism?

the belief that objective moral principles allow no exceptions or must be applied the same in all cases and culture any theory of morality that disregards cultural differences in moral beliefs

What is cultural relativism?

the view that right actions are those sanctioned by one's culture

What is subjective relativism?

the view that right actions are those sanctioned by persons Subjectivism is false. It rules out any moral inquiry or conversation that could happen. Teaching morals to our kids is a lie, and whatever I think is right is right for me. I may believe that something is right, but my mere belief is not sufficient to make it so. What about the times that I discover if I am wrong? I have found myself to be wrong, but according to this theory, that also has to be wrong. Was I wrong then, or am I wrong now? If I change my mind, am I wrong? How can I be wrong if I am the standard of truth?

What are moral rights?

those we hold by virtue of being human beings; held regardless of law Moral rights are often used to changing oppressive laws.

What is beneficence?

to do good

What is the absolute moral standard of utilitarianism?

utility

Kantian and utilitarian impartiality leave little room for ______.

virtues

What is utlity (aka the principle of utility)?

we should produce the most favorable balance of good over bad (or benefit over harm) for all concerned; yield the best overall outcome

What is ethics?

★ Ethics is the study of morality using the tools and methods of philosophy. ★ It is the study of right and wrong; "what we ought to do" or "how we ought to live" ★ It's an activity in which one engages in reflection on the nature and justification of right actions.

What kind of questions do metaethics ethics ask?

★ It asks questions like what does it mean for an action to be right or wrong, what is the meaning of justice, how do we justify our actions? ★ Does right mean the best consequences? or does it produce the most happiness? or is it a command by God?

What kind of questions do normative ethics ask?

★ It asks questions like what moral principles should inform our moral judgements, what roles should virtues play in our lives, is the principle of autonomy justified (BIG ONE), how to resolve conflicts between moral norms (BIG ONE). ★ Is the action right/wrong? Is the person good/bad?

What is meta ethics?

★ Metaethics is the study of meaning and justification of basic moral beliefs. More clarification: it is the ethics of ethics; what is the source?; You are not deciding what is right and wrong, but what do right and wrong mean

What is morality?

★ Morality is a set of standards and practices that are transmitted in cultures and institutions from generation to generation. ★ It concerns beliefs concerning morally right and wrong actions and morally good and bad persons or character. It is, then, a public institution. ★ This is something that we can talk about: the morality of people, the morality of a culture, etc. More clarification: Knowledge based on human experience, reason, and God's revelation that discovers what we ought to do to live fully human lives. It is pervasively acknowledged by a culture or a people.

What is the difference in moral philosophy ethics and descriptive ethics?

★ The difference between ethics and descriptive ethics is the former, ethics, asks how ought we to live while the latter asks how do we in fact live. These questions are very different. ★ Descriptive ethics asks, "what moral beliefs a person or group has, what caused the subjects to have them, and how the beliefs influence behavior or social action?"

What is applied ethics?

★ The use of moral norms and concepts to resolve practical moral issues. More clarification: using ethical principles to resolve concrete cases in a profession

What is descriptive ethics?

★ This is another way to study morality using social science. Descriptive ethics uses the methods of social science to investigate the empirical facts of morality.

What is normative ethics?

★ This is the search for, and justification moral standards, or norms. ★ Usually, the standards or moral principles, rules, virtues, and theories in the aim of this branch is to establish some or all of these appropriate guides for our moral judgement and behavior.

What is nonmaleficence?

"Above all, do no harm"

We use other sorts of norms in life as well, that is we have nonmoral norms, also. What are some examples of non-moral norms?

1) Aesthetic norms we use to make valued judgement about art or beauty in general. 2) Etiquette norms to describe our social behavior. 3) Grammatical norms to guide our communication/correct use of language. 4) Prudential norms about what is in one's best interest. 5) Legal norms about lawful and unlawful acts.

What are the 5 principles?

1) Autonomy 2) Nonmaleficence 3) Benevolence 4) Utility 5) Justice

Why is bioethics important?

1) Bioethics is about morality, and morality is about life. 2) Bioethics address important issues regarding the line between life and death, health and illness, pain and relief, hope and despair, etc. 3) Bioethics holds out the possibility of answers to these tough questions. It allows us to think critically and carefully in order to move forwards.

What are the 4 features of moral norms?

1) Normative dominance 2) Universality 3) Impartiality 4) Reasonableness

What are the 3 main branches of ethics?

1) Normative ethics 2) Metaethics 3) Applied ethics

Utilitarianism has four core elements to it that are vital to its understanding. What are they?

1) Principle of Utility 2) The Standard of Good 3) Consequentialism 4) Impartiality/Universalism

What are the 2 criticisms of Kant?

1) Seems to ignore the importance of consequences 2) Leaves little room or virtue. One can be a perfect Kantian and be sorely lacking in virtue, such as compassion.

Autonomy can sometimes be overwritten by considerations that seem more compelling. No right to autonomy no matter how strong can allow for unrestricted exercises of autonomy. That is, acceptable liberty must be distinguished from unacceptable liberty. What are the 4 liberty limiting principles?

1) The Harm Principle 2) The Principle of Paternalism 3) The Principle of Legal Moralism 4) The Offense Principle

There are those who propose more material principles to add onto the formal principal. The material principles tell us how to treat other equals equally. What is this list?

1) To each person an equal share 2) To each person according to individual need 3) To each person according to acquisition in the free market 4) To each person according to individual effort/performance 5) To each person according to societal distribution 6) To each person according to merit

What are the three distributions of justice?

1) Utilitarian theory 2) Egalitarianism 3) Libertarianism

What are the three problems with Utilitarianism?

1) it has a hard time accounting for the dignity of the individual or for individual rights (ex. patient 605) 2) The difficulty of quantifying pleasures or even goods of any kind. Quantifying pleasure is specific to the individual. Pleasures being quantifiable is mysterious and weird. 3) The difficulty of the distinction between act and rule utilitarianism.