Ethical perspectives and frameworks Flashcards
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What is ethics?
The critical, philosophical study of moral choices
What do moral choices affect?
The well being of human and other sentiment life forms
What is consequentialism?
The consequences of an act that determines whether it is right or wrong
Important example of consequentialism?
Utilitarianism
- Founded by John Stuart Mill
According to utilitarianism what is an action?
An action Is morally right if its consequences lead to happiness for the greatest number
Deontological ethics?
Ethics that focuses on the act itself rather than the consequence
- Must be avoided or performed accordingly
Neomiconian/ virtue Ethics?
Focuses on the person
- How to live flourishing, fulfilled lives
What does virtue ethics downplay?
The importance of moral rules and principles by arguing that morality should be understood in terms of inner virtues and strengths which cannot be translated into rules
Morality and natural law?
A theory which equated the good with the natural
What is a central problem with natural law?
It equates facts with values which are fundamentally different things
Existentialism?
We make ourselves through our actions, choices, and prefernces
What does Jean Paul Sartre the French philosopher argue about existentialism?
That there is no such things as a fixed stock of characteristics called human nature since existence precedes essence
Moral Relativism?
Perspective that acknowledges the diversity of ethics
- A description of the mores and values that apply in a particular society at particular time
What does moral relativism argue?
That no single perspective should be regarded as privileged or normative
What is a central criticism about moral relativism?
It contains a performative self contradiction
