Chapter 1 Flashcards
According to Rachels moral philosophy is
the effort to understand the nature of morality and what it requires of us.
According to Socrates morality is concerned with?
how we ought to live and why
The purpose of examining some morally controversial cases involving physically and mentally challenged children is
to establish a minimum conception of morality
Baby Theresa suffered from a condition called anencephaly, this condition means that
important parts at the top of the brain are missing
The benefits argument maintains that
if we can benefit someone without hurting anyone else we ought to do so
The argument that we should not use people as means maintains that
it is wrong to use people as means to others ends
Ethicists who opposed the Baby Theresa transplants argued
it would be using her to benefit other children, therefore it should not be done
Using people as means typically violates
autonomy
When people can’t make decisions for themselves what guideline should be adopted?
- What is in their best interests.
2. if they could tell us what they want, what would they say?
The argument from the wrongness of killing states
it is wrong to kill someone to save another.
The argument from the wrongness of killing and the prohibition against killing
is one of the most important of moral rules.
Jodie and Mary
- were conjoined twins joined at the lower abdomen.
2. sharing one heart and one set of lungs.
In cases like that of Jody and Mary (decision making)
who should make the decision should be distinguished from what the decision should be.
The argument that we should save as many as we can states
if the lives of 2 people are at issue, if we can shouldn’t we save one?
The argument for the sanctity of human life states that,
the prohibition against killing innocent humans is absolute.
What are the natural objections to the argument for the sanctity of life? (3)
- the innocent has no future because she is going to die no matter what.
- the innocent human has no wish to go on living, perhaps because she has no wishes at all.
- this killing will save others, who can go on to live full lives.
Tracy Latimer
was a 12 year old victim of cerebral palsy.
The argument for the wrongness of discriminating against the handicapped
- no one has the right to decide that my life is more important than yours.
- handicapped people should be given the same respect and the same rights as everyone else.
The slippery slope argument opens the door to
letting other people decide who should live and who should die.
According to Rachels what can we learn from studying the morally controversial cases?
1) moral judgments must be backed by good reasons.
2) morality requires the impartial consideration of each persons interests.
Morally controversial cases (feelings)
can arouse strong feelings.
With regard to moral reasoning about morally controversial cases (our feelings)
1) our feelings may be irrational.
2) we cannot rely on feelings.
With regard to moral reasoning about morally controversial cases (people’s feelings)
people’s feelings can be very different.
When examining morally issues and cases
1) moral principles need to be brought into play.
2) we must first get the facts straight.
When examining morally issues and cases, what do they consist of?
moral arguments consist of moral principles applied to particular issues or cases.
Rachel’s defines the minimal conception of moral as
1) the effort to guide one’s conduct by reason.
2) giving equal weight to the interests of each individual affected by one’s decision.
According to Rachel’s the conscientious moral agent is someone who (5)
a. is concerned impartially with the interests of everything she does.
b. carefully sifts facts and examines their implications.
c. accepts principles of conduct only after scrutinizing them to make sure they are justified.
d. is willing to “listen to reason” even when it means revising prior convictions.
e. is willing to act on the results of this deliberation.
