Chapter #2

Question 1

Moral Dilemma vs Moral Issue

Answer 1

Moral Dilemma: having to choose between two bad option, ie the lesser of two evils
Moral Issue: A problem

Question 2

Ethics is the study of what?

Answer 2

Morality

Question 3

What is Morality?

Answer 3

a system of rules for guiding human conduct, and principles for evaluating those rules.

system, moral rules and principles

Question 4

Policies can range from:

Answer 4

formal laws to informal, implicit guidelines for actions

Question 5

Two kinds of rules of conduct (Policies)

Answer 5

Directives: for guiding our conduct as individuals (mirco level)
Ex: Do not steal” & “Do not harm others”

Social Policies: framed for macro level
Ex:“Proprietary software should not be copied” and “Software that can be used to invade the privacy of others should not be developed”

Question 6

Principles

Answer 6

The rules of conduct in a moral system are evaluated by way of standards called principles

For example, the principle of “social utility“ (promoting the greatest good for the greatest number) can be used to evaluate a social policy such as :
“Proprietary software should not be copied without permission

Essentially used to evealuate social polices

Question 7

Figure 2-1: Basic Components of a Moral System

Answer 7

Chapter #2 slide 9

Question 8

Four Features of Gert’s Moral System

Answer 8

Public: The rules are know to all of the members

Informal: The rules are informal, not like formal laws in legal system

Rational: The system is based on principles of logical reason accessible to all its members.

Impartial: The system is not partial to one group or individual

Question 9

Moral Principles: Definition

Answer 9

are ultimately derived from a societies system of values.

Values: can be viewed as objects of our desires or intrests

Question 10

Intrinsic vs. Instrumental Values

Answer 10

Intrinsic Value: Things that are valued for their own sake, such as life and happiness

Instrumental Value: A value that serves some further end goal

Question 11

Core Values

Answer 11

Basic to a society and even part of a societies survival

Question 12

Moral Vs Non Moral Values

Answer 12

Values can be moral or not moral

When used to only help our self interests these values aren’t necessarily moral values.

Morals and values are not the same

Our basic moral values are derived from core non-moral values.

Once we bring in the notion of impartiality, we begin to take the “moral point of view.”

Question 13

Grounding Moral Principles: Three

Answer 13

Religion: Ex; From the point of view of institutionalized religion, stealing is wrong because of it offends God or because it violates the commands of a supreme authority.

Law : Ex; If stealing violates a law in a particular nation or jurisdiction, then the act of stealing can be declared to be wrong

Philosophical ethics: Ex: Stealing is wrong because it is wrong (independent of any form of external authority or any external sanctions).

Question 14

Method philosophers

Answer 14

analyze moral issues is normative, in contrast to the descriptive method that is used by social scientists

Question 15

Ethicists vs. Moralists

Answer 15

Ethicists: study morality from the perspective of philosophical methodology and they appeal to logical arguments to justify their positions.

• standards that are both rational (based on logic) and impartial (open to others to verify).

Moralists: claim to have all of the answers regarding morality, and often they exhibit characteristics that have been described as “preachy” and “judgmental.”

• Some moralists may have a particular moral agenda to advance.

Question 16

The Four Discussion Stoppers

Answer 16

1. People disagree about morality; so how can we reach agreement on moral issues?
2. Who am I/Who are we to judge others and to impose my/our values on others?
3. Isn’t morality simply a private matter?
4. Isn’t morality simply a matter that different cultures and groups should determine for themselves?

Question 17

Cultural Relativism

Answer 17

the view that different groups have different conceptions about what is morally right and morally wrong behavior

Even if cultural relativism (Thesis A) is true, we can ask if (A) logically implies the claim in (B):

(B) We should not morally evaluate the behavior of people in culture’s other than our own (because what is morally right or wrong can only be determined only by some culture or group, as there is no universal standard).

Question 18

Moral Relativism

Answer 18

We should not morally evaluate the behavior of people in culture’s other than our own.

Many moral relativists mistakenly assume that if there is no universal moral standard, then in matters of morality, “anything goes.” Does this follow (logically)? Is it coherent?

Therefore, the moral relativist’s view is essentially incoherent and inconsistent from a logical perspective

Question 19

Moral absolutism

Answer 19

claims that there is only one uniquely correct answer to every moral problem and only one universal standard for all cultures.

Question 20

Moral objectivism

Answer 20

asserts that (for at least some moral issues) there can be more than one acceptable answer, so long as rational standards apply.

Question 21

The Structure of Ethical Theories

Answer 21

Ideally, a good theory should be coherent, consistent, comprehensive, and systematic.

To be coherent, the individual elements of the theory must fit together to form a unified.

For a theory to be consistent, its component parts cannot contradict each other.

To be comprehensive, a theory must be able to apply broadly to a wide range of actions.

And to be systematic, the theory cannot simply address individual symptoms peculiar to specific cases, while ignoring general principles that would apply in similar cases.

Question 22

Four Kinds of Ethical Theories

Answer 22

Consequence-based: Some argue that the primary goal of a moral system is to produce desirable consequences or outcomes for its members.
On this view, the consequences (i.e., the ends achieved) of actions and policies that provide the ultimate standard against which moral decisions must be evaluated.

Duty-based: argued that morality must ultimately be grounded in the concept of duty or obligations that humans have to one another.

Contract-based: From the perspective of social-contract theory, a moral system comes into being by virtue of certain contractual agreements between individuals

Character-based: Virtue ethics(also sometimes called “character ethics”) ignores the roles that consequences, duties, and social contracts play in moral systems in determining the appropriate standard for evaluating moral behavior.

• Virtue ethics focuses on criteria having to do with the character development of individuals and their acquisition of good character traits from the kinds of habits they develop.

Question 23

Utilitarian theory:

Answer 23

“An individual act (X) or a social policy (Y) is morally permissible if the consequences that result from (X) or (Y) produce the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of persons affected by the act or policy.”

Utilitarians draw on two key points in defending their theory:
-the principle of social utility should be used to determine morality;
-social utility can be measured by the amount of happiness produced for society as a whole

Question 24

Deontological

Answer 24

Theories in which the notion of duty, or obligation, serve a foundation for morality are called deontological theories.