Midterm Ethics

Cultural Relativism

"good" is determined by each group or culture. Provides a moral standard within a culture, no between cultures

Kantian Ethics

- a moral judgment must be backed by good reasons-if it is true you ought to do such a such, then there must be a reason why you should do it. -it is no good saying that you can accept reasons some of the time but not all the time; or that people must respect them, but not you. Moral reasons, if they are valid at all, are binding on all people at all times. This is a requirement, can Kant was right to think that no rational person may deny it. -people have intrinsic worth, while animals do not.

For Ethical Egoism

-Altuism is self-defeating-if we do what is best for people, we should not adopt so-called altruistic policies -Ayn Rand's Arguement- each person only has one life to live. If we value this individual, then we must agree that this life is one of supreme importance. Ethics of altruism regards of life of the individuals as something one must be ready to sacrifice for the good of others, therefore it does not take seriously the value of individuals. This allows each person to view his or her life as being ultimate value and doesn't take the individual seriously, this is the only one. -Ethical egoism compatible with commonsense argument- we have duty not to harm others, if we do things that harm others, they will have no problem doing things that harm us

For Cultural Relativism

-enlightened attitude toward cultural difference, tolerant, non-judgmental, allows for some moral standards, at least within societies

Emotivism

-moral language is used as a mean to influence people's behavior, not used to convey information -someone says Homosexuality is immoral, they think it means "homosexuality-gross" or "don't be gay"

Natural Law Theory

-natural is best, actions which deviate from what is natural are wrong

Utilitarianism

-one ought to do whatever will make everyone the happiest -morality is the happiness of beings in the this world, and nothing more, and we are permitted-even required to do whatever is necessary to promote that happiness -all that matters is whether it can experience happiness and unhappiness, if an animal can suffer we have to take into account to promote that happiness

Against Ethical egoism

-suppose that there are benefits to doing the wrong things. One in the same act cannot be both morally right and morally wrong. Violates principle of equal treatment because we split into two groups, ourselves and others, the people in the first group are more important.

Arguments for Utilitarianism

All values have utilitarianism basis, our gut reactions cannot be trusted we should all focus on consequences.

Virtue Ethics

Aristole saw humans rational and political - a good human is one who reasons and functions as a community

Against Kantian

Capital Punishment- it's never right to kill an innocent person, it's important to punish crimes proportionally. Moral Rules-humans are reason using creatures, more rules are universal, when I perform a certain act, I am saying it should always be done, including having it done to me.

Against Cultural Relativism

Cultural differences argument, unable to condemn or praise, moral progress becomes incoherent, Implies that a culture is always morally right.

Non-Objective Theories

Cultural relativism, Simple Subjectivism, Emotivism

Against Simple Subjectivism

Disagreements-If S.S. is correct, there can be moral disagreements. We have moral disagreements; therefore S.S. is not correct Fallibility- If S.S. is correct people cannot be mistaken in their moral views. People can be mistaken in their moral views, therefore S.S. in not correct Moral Depravity-A boy saves a girl. Man says people should mind their own business. According to S.S. man is not wrong.

Objective Theories

Egoism, Utilitarianism, Divine Command Theory, Kantianism, Care Ethics, Virtues Ethics

Morality Creator Version

God decides what is right, and then tells us to do it.

Moral Guide Version

God sees what is right, and then tells us to do it.

For Divine Command Theory

It provides clear objective rules, it applies to call individuals and cultures equally. The rules are eternal, and unchanging. It provides an answer to the question "why be moral"

Gender differences

Males in general more morally advanced. Gilligan says females response different but not inferior. Women show more emotion, communication, compromise and relationships. Where as men have more abstract reasons, impartiality, individual way of thinking. Feminine perspective provides a new view of ethics

Martin Luther Kings "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

Said that evils being opposed were so serious, so numerous, and so difficult to fight that civil disobedience was justified as a last resort. The end justifies the means, through the means are regrettable If things are arranged so that some ppl in society are not granted the rights enjoyed by others. Under such circumstances, the social contract is not being honored. By asking the disadvantages group to obey the law and respect society's institutions, we are asking them to accept the burdens of social living while being denies it's benefits

Kolhberg's Model of Moral Development

Stage 1: Preconvention (childhood) Stage 2: Conventional (adolescence) Stage 3: Postconventional (Adults) not everyone reaches this

Objections to VE

a complete moral theory provides a guide to action, what is the relevant virtue

The doctrine of double effect

action A has two effects. Intended effect and Unintended effect. You may do A is intended is really good and the unintended is really unintended and if the good out weighs the bad.

Classical Version of Utilitarianism

actions are to be judges right or wrong solely be virtues of their consequences; nothing else matters. In assessing consequences, the only thing that matters is the amount of happiness or unhappiness that is created, everything is irrelevant. Everyone's happiness counts the same

Categorical Imperial

all our duties are derived from one ultimate principle. Because people are valuable, morality requires us to treat them "always as an end and never as a mean"

Against Natural Law

another basic law of nature preserves life, what if this conflict with another law of nature, may we do something that goes against other natural laws?

Euthyphro dilemma

comes from Plato: is stealing wrong because God says it is, or does God say it's wrong because stealing is wrong?

Care Ethics

concerned about character. -being moral involves acting in a caring way, empathy, sensitivity, to feelings of all importance of personal relationships, appeal to intuition and feeling rather than principle

Against DCT

disagreements in regions, applying guidelines today, inconsistencies, nonbelievers

Ethical Egoism

each person ought to pursue his or her own self-interests exclusively - we ought to do whatever will best promote everyone's wellness. The best was to do what is for each of us to pursue our own interests. Theory states that people should be selfish not foolish.

Strengths of VE

emphasis on character, useful in contexts where a person has a particular function, objectivity based in human nature, individual and social well being, provides moral motivation beneficial to self and community

The Doctrine of Golden Mean

for each virtue, there is an excess and a deficiency. There needs to be a balance - a virtuous person will choose the right amount, at the right times, and for the right reasons

Difference between emotivism and S.S

in s.s. someone says something is immoral, and another says is's moral, they are not disagreeing, they are talking about different things-each is making a statement about his or her own attitude and the other can readily agree. Emotivism emphasizes that disagreement comes in different. Emotivism does not interpret things as wrong or right, because the the statements made cannot be wrong or right.

Non-objective Theory

no objective wrong or rights

Simple subjectivism

one version of Individual relativism, moral judgments are statements about our feelings of approval or disapproval

For Simple Subjectivism

reflects some of our common ideas and practices, individual differences, seem to be no common moral standards, moral reactions feel like emotional reactions

Defense of Utilitarianism

there are consequences for those that don't have their best interest in others. It's a guide for choosing rules, not acts. Common sense is wrong.

Objective Theory

there are objective wrong and rights

Act and Omission distinction

there is a moral difference between doing an act which causes result X, and omitting to do an act, which if had been done, would have prevented R. In 1. your more morally responsible than in 2.