Contemporary Ethical Theories

Question 1

what are the main critisms of Classical Theories

Answer 1

• overly abstract, too rule based
• too reductionist
• too imperosnal
• too rational, doesnt consider emotion

Question 2

The Concept of the Other

Answer 2

focus on how we treat other people - treat them as an object, so different that we dont even recognise them - ethics is only availabe when were open to them

Question 3

arguments for the other

Answer 3

• draws attention to the limits of rule based appraoches that close us off to emotions
• were then open to understanding more about the world around us

Question 4

explain the moral impulse

Answer 4

our emotions should dictate how we treat others, not rules - there never can be a universal ethics code, decisions need to made seperat;ey as each situation is different

Question 5

arguments for moral impulse theory

Answer 5

+ humans are emotional actors
+ moral distance tends to outweigh principles
+ we act differenlty in different contexts
+ principles can detach us from the other, stops us from being human

Question 6

Explain the theory of Undecidability of Ethics

Answer 6

every decision has a choice otherwise wouldnt be a decision - based on the condition of possibility and opens our moral imagination

Question 7

strengths of the concept of Undecidability

Answer 7

+ forces us to stay open minded
+ following rules can blind us to objectives
+ consider example of the drug trade

Question 8

what is the relevance of contemporary theories

Answer 8

• encourages reflexivity
• challanges business norms
• however is much more resource intesnive