applied ethics (stealing)

Question 1

what r the 4 issues for applied ethics?

Answer 1

1. stealing
2. simulated killing
3. eating animals
4. telling lies

Question 2

what act utilitarian view of stealing?

Answer 2

-weather right or wrong depends on situation.
-if an act of stealing results in greater happiness then it would be morally acceptable.
- example: acceptable for starving person to steal food to save their life. victims loss is outweighed by thief’s benefit.

Question 3

what is act utilitarian view of stealing
(Robin Hood)

Answer 3

-morally acceptable for very poor people to steal from rich ppl bcos rich persons loss of happiness is insignificant compared to thiefs gain of happiness.
(like Robin Hood)

Question 4

what’s rule utilitarian view on stealing

Answer 4

-although in certain circumstances stealing leads to greater happiness, the rule “don’t steal” leads to greater happiness overall.

Question 5

support for act utlititarins view of stealing what did John Stuart mill say?

Answer 5

-discussion of property rights:
a society that permitted stealing everyone would live in constant fear of being robbed. without property rights ppl would feel insecure they would be stolen from.
- disrupt leads to - less happy society then one that doesn’t allow stealing.

= means AU never violate persons property rights even in situations where doing so would maximise happiness.

Question 6

What’s Kants view of stealing
(deontological ethics)

Answer 6

• argues nvr acceptable to steal:
  -categorical imperative says: “act only according to maxims you will would become a universal law”
• my maxim is: “to steal”
• if I will stealing to be a universal law, then anyone could steal whenever they wanted.
  -but if anyone could steal whenever they wanted, the very concept of personal property wouldn’t exist
• and if theres no such thing of personal property, the concept of stealing doesn’t make sense
  -so, willing that everyone followed the maxim “to steal” leads to a contradiction in concept.
  -so, we have a perfect duty not to steal.
• so, stealing is (always) wrong.

Question 7

what’s aristoles virtue ethics view of stealing?

Answer 7

• some actions never fall into golden mean and stealing is one.
• even in extreme cases A argues stealing is still wrong.
  -starving child is unjust state of affairs but A argues its worse to deliberately chose to commit unjust actions even if ur doing it to counteract unjust state of affairs.

Question 8

whats bristles distinction

Answer 8

unjust action and unjust state of affairs
(stealing). (starving child)

Question 9

meta ethics view of stealing
(moral realism standpoint)

Answer 9

MR:
-naturalism “stealing is wrong” is true if stealing has the natural property of wrongness (causes upset)
- non-naturalism “stealing is wrong” is true if stealing has the non-natural property of wrongness

Question 10

meta ethics view of stealing
(moral anti-realism)

Answer 10

MAR:
-error theory: “stealing is wrong” false bcos property of wrongness doesn’t exist
non-cognitivism:
emotivism: “stealing is wrong” just means “boo stealing!” so not capable of being true or false.
prescriptivism: stealing is wrong = don’t steal! so not capable of true or false.