Deontological Ethics Flashcards
Name Aquinas’ Key propositions
- God gave people the ability to reason so they can discover the way to live and their God given purpose
- Everyone can reason even if they don’t believe in God
- Since natural law comes from God it is universal and unchangeable like him
Name the 3 Theological Virtues
Faith
Hope
Love / Charity
Name the 4 cardinal virtues
Prudence
Justice
Fortitude
Temperance
What are the hierarchy of laws in order?
Eternal -> Biblical -> Natural -> Human
What are the primary precepts (POWER)?
Preservation of life Ordering society for the benefit of its members Worship God Education Reproduction of the human species
What are the two ways in which God reveals himself (Revelations)?
Natural Revelation and Biblical Revelation
What did Aquinas mean by Biblical Law?
Laws that were found in the bible and / or through Jesus
What did Aquinas mean by Eternal Law (Hierarchy) ?
Laws that are only known to God
What did Aquinas mean by Human Law (Hierarchy )?
When humans put the above into practice in society, e.g laws regarding property, driving laws and so on
What did Aquinas mean by Natural Law (Hierarchy) ?
Revealed through human nature and the world when we use our reason correctly
What does Aquinas define an external act as?
The action of a person
What does Aquinas define an internal act as?
The intention of a person when they carry out an action
What does Telos translate to?
Purpose
What is meant by Absolutist?
Certain actions are always right or always wrong regardless of circumstances
What is meant by Deontological?
We have a duty to preform / avoid certain actions because of their intrinsic worth (good or bad) regardless of circumstances
What is meant by Teleological?
When something focuses on the purpose of the one implementing the theory
What is syndersis?
Syndersis is the innate or built in sense of morality that everyone posses
What is the beatific vision?
Being in God’s presence is the ultimate final purpose for humans
What is the meaning of the cardinal virtue of fortitude?
Also called courage, this virtue helps us overcome fear and remain steady in our will to face obstacles but it is always reasoned and reasonable
What is the meaning of the cardinal virtue of justice?
What is though of a particular person is irrelevant, if we owe something we must repay what is owed
What is the meaning of the cardinal virute of prudence?
The virtue that allows us to reason and know right from wrong in a situation
What is the meaning of the cardinal virtue for temperance?
The restraint of our desires or passions. Food, drink and sex are necessary to survival but disordered desire of any of these can become bad quickly
What is the meaning of the theological virtue of faith?
People that believe in God, involves a whole person and reflects total submission to God as the divine power
What is the meaning of the theological virtue of hope?
The constant and consistent trust in achieving the beatific vision
What is the meaning of the theological virtue of love / charity?
The love that someone has for God and how it is projected onto others around them
What type of theory is Aquinas’ Natural Law?
Absolutist, Deontological and Teleological
What does Aquinas define real good as?
Correctly reasoned goods that help the person achieve their telos (purpose)
What does Aquinas define an apparent good as?
Wrongly reasoned good that’s don’t help a person achieve their telos (purpose)
Why does Aquinas say our reasoning isn’t perfect?
Due to the fall and original sin, which is why there is faulty reasoning and therefore apparent goods.
How does Natural Law apply to abortion?
Since NL is Absolutist it thinks that it is always wrong as it goes against the primary precept of the preservation of life.
What is the doctrine of double effect?
When there are complications during pregnancy that make it so a person has to have surgery to remove the egg from a dangerous place, this kills the baby being against the preservation of life but it saves the mothers life therefore making it acceptable as it holds the preservation of life.
How does Natural Law apply to voluntary euthanasia?
Since natural law is absolutist it follows the primary precepts only and euthanasia is against the primary precept of the preservation of life just like abortion
What are Finnis’ seven basic goods?
Life, Knowledge, Play, Aesthetic experience, Sociability, Practical reasonableness and religion
How does Finnis define life as one of the seven basic goods
Self-evidently good, anything which damages or destroys human life should be avoided
How does Finnis define knowledge as one of the seven basic goods
The pure desire to know things, out of curiosity as well as concerned interested desire for the truth
How does Finnis define play as one of the seven basic goods
Describes activities done just for enjoyment, there is no other reason than to enjoy such activities
How does Finnis define aesthetic experience as one of the seven basic goods
Just like play but it does not essentially need an action to occur (e.g. hearing music)
How does Finnis define sociability as one of the seven basic goods
Realised through the creation of relationships (personal / global) these relationships are fundamental goods
How does Finnis define practical reasonableness as one of the seven basic goods
The use of intellect to decide choices that promote the basic goods
How does Finnis define religion as one of the seven basic goods
Not specificallyfalling a religion but all beliefs that can be called matters of ultimate concern, questions about the point of human existence
What is the difference between theoretical reason and practical reason?
Theoretical reason is what describes what is true whereas practical reason describes how we act
What is the first of the nine requirements of practical reason?
You should view your life as a whole
What is the second of the nine requirements of practical reason?
You naturally have to prioritise certain goods over others
What is the third of the nine requirements of practical reason?
Basic goods apply equally to all people
What is the fourth of the nine requirements of practical reason?
You should make sure that you do not become obsessed with a particular project and keep the perspective that the project is a partition of a basic good
What is the fifth of the nine requirements of practical reason?
You shouldwctually do projects and make an effort to improve
What is the sixth of the nine requirements of practical reason?
You should calculate and plan your actions so that they are the most efficient and do the most good
What is the seventh of the nine requirements of practical reason?
You should never commit an act that directly harms a basic good
What is the eighth of the nine requirements of practical reason?
You should foster the common good of the community
What is the ninth of the nine requirements of practical reason?
you should act according to your conscience and practical reason, not the authority of someone else
What are the points that Finnis’ says about a justice system implementing the basic goods?
- Pursue the basic goods
- To achieve the basic goods we must cooperate
- Laws are an effective way of creating this cooperation
- I should obey the law
How does Finnis’ natural law apply to capital punishment?
Since the 7 basic goods are self evident, universal and unchanging and this is against the basic goods capital punishment is never justified
How does Finnis’ natural law apply to immigration?
Since saving people from their current circumstances is applying the basic goods and the the nine requirements in a good way it would be shown that immigration would be good
What’s the fault with Finnis’ Natural law and immigration
When too many people are brought into the country it can effect the countries economy and the people in it then acting against the basic goods causing immigration not to be something Finnis’ natural law would agree with so it would have to be controlled immigration
What type of theory is Finnis’ natural law?
Absolutist, Deontological and Teleological
What type of theory is Hoose’s Proportionalism?
Deontological, Relativist and Teleological
What does Hoose say about the primary precepts?
In most situations they should be followed however in some situations they shouldn’t be followed
What is proportionalism?
This is when there is a greater proportion of good to bad created from certain acts.
How does Hoose define an ontic act?
All acts cause harm, even if the act itself is good, however the harm that comes from the act is called ontic evil.
What is an example of an ontic act?
Putting criminals to the justice system and saving the innocent from the criminal however putting that person in prison then causes harm
What does Hoose define aa good act?
An act that follows moral rules, it upholds primary precepts
How does Hoose define a right act?
An act that isn’t good but creates a lesser of two evils, it breaks a primary precept but the proportionate benefits outweigh the evil of the act
How does Hoose define a evil moral act?
Something that is against the primary precepts and would create no proportionate good
What form of love does Hoose apples part of his theory?
Agape, this is ignorer to determine what is right in a given situation so that we know when its necessary to break a primary precept
How does Hoose’s proportionalism apply to capital punishment?
If capital punishment is the only way to stop a person from causing harm then it would be deemed a right act however if they could be incarcerated for the rest of their life so they can’t cause harm this would make capital punishment a evil moral act.
How does Hoose’s proportionalism apply to immigration?
Having immigration and bringing in people that could help the NHS and other services would be a good act however the ontic evil would be strain on resources.
What fault does proportionalism have with immigration?
If there was no control on immigration then it would eventually generate no gains then this would just cause the same issues in this country that the refugees had else where making this an evil moral act
