Deontology

Question 1

Utilitarianism is…

Answer 1

a consequentialist ethical theory. rightness and wrongness only depends on consequences.

Question 2

3 parts of action

Answer 2

1) Intention
2) act
3) consequence

Question 3

deontology is

Answer 3

by immanual KANT STRONG NONCONSEQUENTIALIST. consequences are completely irrelevant to the right & wrong.

Question 4

Etymology of deontology

Answer 4

Deon = duty
Deontology is a duty based theory. Deals with the nature of rights, obligation & necessities.intention is all that matters.

Question 5

Intro to deontology

Answer 5

Holds that ethics is not all about maximizing the good ( or minimizing the bed)
Ethics is about doing the right thing as a matter of duty, regardless of the consequences. Actions rightness & wrongness depends on the intentions.

Question 6

Theory of right action

Answer 6

centered on the categorical imperative which separate out right from wrong. With utilitarian you need to figure out consequences but with this one you got to determine right & wrong we use a categorical imperative.
Your feelings are irrelevant. Doesn’t matter if you’re inclined to follow it or not or if there’s any kind of benefit.

Question 7

whats a CI?

Answer 7

we use to figure out right or wrong.
A command that is binding irrespective of how we might feel about it, whether tea re inclined to follow it or not or whiter there is indirect or direct benefit to us personally.

Question 8

CI

Answer 8

For kant there is only one CI but it comes in 3 versions or formulations. They follow our nature as rational beings. Sometimes there a slight variation in how the various formulations of the CI are translated. KANT did not make the CI they are deduced by anyone. It’s just a way of describing the world, not invented or created by anyone. It’s discovered by human beings.

Question 9

Re-interprreation of the 1st CI

Answer 9

I ought never to act except in such a way that I can also will the the moral rule guiding my actions should become a moral rule guiding everyone actions.
When someone asks what if everyone acted this way? its expressing the basic logic of the GI

Question 10

Steps to first CI

Answer 10

• Hint: regard the CI as a kind of test
• Step 1:
  o Find the maxim that captures what you are considering doing and your reasons for doing it
  o Ex. I’ll prevent Fred from smoking cig’s cause it’s not good for his health…
  o Ex. I’ll push grandma down the stairs to get her money…
• Step 2:
  o Consider circumstances in which literally everyone would be guided by the same rule/principle
• Step 3:
  o See whether those circumstances involve a contradiction

Question 11

Failing the test of the 1st formulation

Answer 11

There are two ways in which one’s maxim/guiding principle may fail the test of the first formulation of the CI

1) It can create a contraditction of conception
2) It can create a contradiction in the will

Question 12

Contradiction of will

Answer 12

Can contradict you presumed desire to have people stop for you…. is this the type of would you would want to live in???

Question 13

Contradiction of conception

Answer 13

Could this work for everyone?

Question 14

Perfect & imperfect duties

Answer 14

In cases when a maxim would be contradictory in CONCEPTION! there is a PERFECT DUTY to refrain from acting in this way.
Must be always done without exception.
Doesn’t matter the circumstance. Doesn’t matter that there’s a bad consequence.
In cases where a maxim would be CONTRADICTORY IN WILL there is an IMPERFECT DUTY TO PREVENT US FROM DOING THIS.

Question 15

condradiciton of conception has… Duties

Answer 15

Perfect duties (no lying no stealing etc. etc.(

Question 16

Condraditction of will has ….. duties

Answer 16

Imperfect duties. Have a certain latitude on how we fufulill them. Choice about when you fulfil them. Eg. giving to charity .
you can chose when but you can’t never do them.

Question 17

2nd formulation of the CI

Answer 17

Treat humanity whether in thine own person or in that of any other, in every case as an end withal, never as a means only.
Do not treat ppl as objects

Question 18

A means only

Answer 18

One treats others as an end in and of himself or herself if he respects in that person the same value & capabilities to act according to reasons, he find in him or herself.
Treating someone as an end is treating them as a person with the same value of yourself.
covering up a med error is for your own goals.
Stealing drugs is for your own goal.s

Question 19

Kants theory of value

Answer 19

The CI determines right from wrong. A good person doe the right thing only because it is the right thing. There is nothing unconditionally good in a world except the good will of the person.
Only when done fro ma good will does an action naquire it’s moral wotrth.
The ends never justify it’s means

Question 20

Pleasures, intrinsic values vs. instrumental values vs. unconditional value.

Answer 20

Pleasure has intrinsic value because you want it for it’s own sake.
Instrumental value is when you use something to get something else (eg. Money) no value on itself & it is less good than intrinsic value.
unconditional value: the highest type of value something can have ONLY GOODWILL HAS THIS VALUE!!!

Question 21

there are somethings with intrinsic value that could make the world worse…

Answer 21

eg. Strength, intelligence, ambition !!!!

but moral worth is only when done from good will :)

Question 22

if something is in self interest….

Answer 22

it is not the right thing to do

Question 23

ways to fail to do the right thing

Answer 23

What you do can fail to have any moral worth if:

• it is the wrong thing
• It is the right thing but done for any reasons/intetions (i.e for any reason other than because its the right thing)

Question 24

has to pass both (what? ) to be moral

Answer 24

has to pass both the contradiction of conception & contradiction of will.
We want to do things that have no contradiction in conception OR will.

Question 25

What does it mean to act from duty

Answer 25

Acting from duty means doing the right thing (ones’ duty) only because it is the right thing

Question 26

Acting in accordance with duty means

Answer 26

doing one’s duty but because of something else besides the fact that it’s the right things - ur doing right thing… but for some other reason…. (emotions or self-interest)

Question 27

Kants example of acting in accordance to duty vs. acting from duty

Answer 27

To be benficent to self and others is an imperfect duty… (you don’t always have to do it) but if we give out an inclination to do it because we want to have inner satisfaction in spreading joy around - this has no moral worth. BUT IF YOU BENEFIT OTHERS BECAUSE IT S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. you are truly good & your actions have moral worth.

Question 28

First Philosophical criticism of Kantian ethics

Answer 28

-Perfect duties sometimes seem like they should be broken.
eg. Do the right thing though the world should perish. The naxi Lying case.
Says there is never a perfect duty vs. perfect duty

Question 29

Second philosophical criticism of Kantian ethics

Answer 29

Kant doe snot adequately address the problem of moral conflict. He says the main conflict Kant focuses on is between duty & self interest.
But the most vexing moral conflicts in nursing ethics are not between duty & self interest but rather between one duty & another or one right & another. Eg. telling the truth when you have promised someone otherwise.
If it’s imperfect vs. perfect you always have to do perfect. IF it’s two perfect KANT says this never occurs.

Question 30

What is consequentialism

Answer 30

the view that the rightness or wrongness of actions depends on & only on the consequences

Question 31

What is strong nonconsequentialism

Answer 31

The vie that rightness or wrongness of actions doe snot depend at all on the consequences (KANT)

Question 32

what is weak nonconsequentialism

Answer 32

The view that rightness or wrongness depends on but not only on the consequences of actions. intentions are still important but also look at how the so consequences effect the moral outcome.

Question 33

What does prima facie mean

Answer 33

At first glance

Question 34

WD ROSS’ PRIMA FACIE DUTIES

Answer 34

these are duties always performed unless there a moral reason not to.
Most actions will involve a number of these moral duties & sometimes these duties may conflict. We often have moral reasons fro & against action, we weight these reasons & compare them to determine which is most important. Usually you will run into a conflict. Which duties apply to which action & the side with more duties is the one you need to do

Question 35

What are the principles of Prima Facie duties

Answer 35

1) Keep promises
2) Right pervious wrongs
3) Return services of others
4) Distribute goods fairly
5) Tell the truth
6) Improve the conditions of others
7) Improve one’s own conditions
8) Don’t make the condition of others worse

Question 36

what are the PF Duties? (8)

Answer 36

1) Fidelity (promises)
2) Reparation (right wrongs)
3) Gratitude (return services)
4) justice (fairness)
5) Veracity (tell truth)
6) Beneficence (improve others)
7) self improvement
8) Non-maleficence (don’t make others conditions worse)

Question 37

deontologist conceive morality as:

Answer 37

A system of moral duties, principles, rules or imperatives

Question 38

Task of the moral agent

Answer 38

is to discern what his or her duties are and to act consistently with & in the spirit of these duties

Question 39

Immanual kant believed

Answer 39

All duties derive for ma fundamental imperative binding on any rational being ( categorical operative)

Question 40

Categorical imperatives are not imposed on us from without

Answer 40

no one has to tell us what our duty is, or can rightfully impose a moral duty upon us
as we are beings of reason, each of use is able t comprehend directly what our duty is. It is to yield to the law of universal human reason, the law of our own reason.

Question 41

Kant’s concept of autonomy

Answer 41

Autonomy meant submitting oneself to a law that one gives itself. The moral law or CI is self-given. One discovered it as the law of ones reason.
To be autonomy is to act in accordance with the demand of reason.

Question 42

kants autonomy entails more than the right to make decisions for one’s self …. also entails

Answer 42

duty to decide in accordance with demands of reason

Question 43

The right thing to do

Answer 43

what duties requires of us is right regardless of if it coincides with our desires or interests

Question 44

Kant says ….

Answer 44

Duty NOT desire will be the motive for our actions. Our moral worth involves doing the right thing (What duty requires) for the right reason (because it is our duty)

Question 45

Pluralistic deontology

Answer 45

Contradistinction because Kant’s reduces all duties to a single source or principle but WD ross has this view.
Kant would claim that these duties can be reduced to a single principle. where as ross believed them to be irreducible, allows for possibility of a genuine conflict between duties

Question 46

deontology is

Answer 46

A duties based approach to moral decision making

Question 47

deontology is

Answer 47

A non-consequentialist theory. you do the right action not because what you may achieve by it but because it is the right thing to do.

Question 48

Central concepts fro meant

Answer 48

Good will - the will of the person to act for ma duty to follow the moral law
Duty - actions should be done from a duty to the moral law
Autonomy - Self-determination governed by reason & morality

Question 49

What is a CI

Answer 49

Supreme principle of morality. Different formations include.
Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time make it a universal law. Act so that you use humanity as much in your own person as in the person of every other, always at the same time as end & never merely as a means.