Ethics Chapter: 1

emotivism

maintains that when we say something is good, we are showing our approval of it and recommending it to others rather than describing it. For smith, ethics develops out of natural sympathy towards one another, experienced by social beings like ourselves. (Subjective)

Aesthetics

(philosophy of art) philosophers concerned with this ask basic questions about the art and objects of beauty: I.e what kinds of things should count as art.

Ethics

A branch of philosophy, it is also called moral philosophy.

Sociobiology

A field of study that applies evolutionary and comparative biology to understanding social phenomena including ethical behaviours. The basic idea is that human behaviours results from the pressures of natural selection. This term attempts to understand altruism. Altruistic animals will help one another.

Sound argument

A valid argument that has true premises. Ethical arguments always involve some claims about values

naturalistic fallacy

An argument that inappropriately derives normative claims from descriptive claims. (associated with Moore). Moore claimed that to attempt to define good in terms of some mundane or natural thing such as pleasure is to commit a version of this fallacy.

Instrumental goods

Are things that are useful as instruments or tools, we use them and value them as a means towards some other end. (food is a tool used to support life)

Intrinsic goods

Are things that have value in themselves or for their own sake. (Life)

Conceptual Matters

Are those that relate to the meaning of terms or concepts. I.e what lying actually is.

Rationalization

Are usually excuses, used to explain away bad behaviour

Metaethics

Asks questions about the nature of ethics, including the meaning of ethical terms and judgements. Questions about the relation between philosophical ethics and religion are metaethical

Teleological theories

Base moral judgments on consequences, also focuses on goals, purpose, and outcomes. The best option that benefits me most(would blow up bob because 3>1)

Subjectivists

Claim that value judgments are merely the expression of subjective opinion

Normative ethics

Defends a thesis about what is good, right, or just.

Begging the question/circular argument

Draws the argument conclusion to support its premises.

Evaluative

Ethical statements and judgements. i.e "that meal was so good"- it does not tell us much about the meal, but implies that it was good. Philosophers do just just simply describe the object of judgment.

Natural Law

Ethics that focuses on human nature and derives ethical precepts from an account on what is natural for humans. These types of ethicists may argue that the human body, for example, has natural functions and that by better understanding these functions, we can figure out morals about sexuality and reproduction.

Philosophy

Is a disciple or study in which we ask, and attempt to answer, basic questions about key areas or subject matter of human life and about persuasive and significant aspects of experience.

Ethical Theory

Is a systemic exposition of a particular view about what is the nature and basis of good or right

Utilitarianism

Normative theory that we ought to concern ourselves with the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people (Mill)

Arguments from analogy

One compares familiar examples with the issue being disputed. Whatever one concludes about the first familiar experience, one should also conclude about the disputed case.

Ad-hominem fallacy

People who look at the source of opinion rather than the reasons given for it. (Not agreeing with something because one specific person said it)

Epistemology

Philosophy of knowledge; we try to answer questions of what we can know of ourselves and our world, and what it means to know something rather than just believing it.

Hume's law

The claim that it is illegitimate to derive oughts from an is. It is not logical to base our ideas about how we ought to behave from a factual account of how we actually behave.

deontological theories

Those theories that hold that actions can be right or wrong regardless of their consequences. Mortality ought to be focused on duties and adherence to rules and imperatives- Kant. (would not blow up bob)

Factual matters

Whether or not something is actually true. I.e reliable sources of info and be open-minded.

Intuitionism

claims that our ideas about ethics rest upon some sort of intuitive knowledge of ethical truths. Ross believed we have a variety of "crystal-clear intuitives" about basic values. Intuitions of ethics are not commonly shared apparently throughout populations such as mathematics.

Normative judgments

evaluative or prescriptive claims about what is good, evil, just, etc. They place a value on some action or practice.

descriptive claims

states factual beliefs, and evaluative judgements, which state whether facts are good or bad, just or unjust, right or wrong.

Objectivists

will argue that we ought to desire things that are good, with emphasis on the goodness of the thing in itself apart from our subjective responses. (Plato) these people hold that values have an objective reality