applied ethics - simulated killing Flashcards
how would utilitarians feel about simulated killing?
since all pleasures are equal - the pleasure gained from simulated killing is the same as listening to an opera.
if pleasure outweighs the pain then the action is good.
what are the positive and negative sides of simulated killing for utilitarians?
positive
- produces alot of pleasure
- secondary pleasures are produced e.g. chatting with friends
- beneficial effects can have beneficial effects
negative
- linked to antisocial behaviour
- harmful effects on health
what would Mill feel about simulated killing?
Mill would say that simulated killing creates the wrong sort of pleasure (lower)
he may argue that the pleasures appeal to our animal side and not our intellectual side
how does the concept of competent judges affect higher/lower pleasures?
there are many competent judges who can appreciate both video games and Tolstoy and appreciate the former.
- so the higher and lower distinction does not necessarily downgrade the status of pleasure gained from simulated killing
how does liberty affect simulated killing for the utilitarian?
many people are offended by the existence of video games but should this be taken into account in the utility calculation.
however, utilitarianism may take the opinion of the majority too seriously.
but Mill argued that the secondary principle of liberty should play a central role - we should do what we want as long as not hurting others.
what does Kant think about simulated killing?
kant says nothing about video games and simulated killing
- but the moral value of watching simulated killing is not dependent on the consequences of such activities but on whether it is possible to consistently will that you should watch them
do I have a duty to not be entertained by simulated killing?
kant argues that morally we can treat non-human animals as a mere means to our ends, as animals lack the rationality required to have ends in themselves.
- he believes that we have a duty to show our humanity towards mankind and treat others as an end
what do virtue ethicists think about simulated killing?
a kantian approach may emphasize the impact the game has on real people in the real world
- our moral intuitions tell us that there is something morally objectionable with people playing a game that mimics the murder of children.
- kantian ethics cannot provide compelling reasons for why playing the game itself is wrong - but it erodes one’s character.
