Ethical Theories Flashcards
What are ethics
Ethics examine right and wrong from the perspective of a human being instead of nature for example
What are business ethics
The study of business situations, activities, and decisions where issues of right and wrong are addressed
Ethical egoism ; when is an action morally right
An action is morally right if the decision maker freely decides in order to pursue either their short term desires or their long term interests
Problems with ethical egoism
¬ inconsistent (condones immoral wrongs since anything goes as long as egoists needs are served)
¬ moral view based on short term satisfaction is contradictory to moral principles
¬ can lead to problems due to conflicting interests
¬ taking care of own interests is morally important, but theory needs to be complemented by another
Ethical egoism authors
Thomas Hobbes, Adam Smith, Ayn Rand
Self driving car: if ethical egoist is buying
Would protect people inside the car
Self driving car: if ethical egoist was manufacturing car
Would aim to serve egoist customers to sell more cars
Utilitarianism: An act is morally right if:
If the act results in the greatest amount of good to the greatest amount of people affected by the action
(Cost benefit analysis)
Utilitarianism authors
Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill
Act utilitarianism
Whether a single act is right or wrong depends on the amount of common good it produces
Rule utilitarianism
Focuses on creating rules that produce the most common good
Problems with utilitarianism
Utilitarian good is subjective, context dependent, and difficult to compare between people
Runs into difficulties in questions related to just distribution of wealth
Can be contradictory with idea of respecting basic rights
Maximizing is not the best approach to addressing all values
Does not include idea of reciprocity
Self driving car: what would an act utilitarian do
Should conduct cost / benefit analysis of what causes most benefit and least harm in each situation
Aim to harm as few as possible
Self driving car: what would rule utilitarian do
Self driving cars should minimize casualties. Should be introduced only if they are likely to make driving in general safer
Ethics of duties
Duties involve humans ability to develop moral laws and moral rules
Developed categorical imperatives
Central concepts: duty, consistency, dignity, universality
Ethics of duties author
Immanuel Kant
Categorical imperatives of ethics of duties
Universal applicability
Respect for persons
Universal applicability ethics of duties:
Check that the principle is acceptable to every human being
Respect for persons ethics of duties
A human being is a valuable autonomical being, not a means to an end or tool
Problems with ethics of duties
Ethics of duties is difficult and abstract theory
Morality can be seen as heavy burden to bear
Morality founded too much on use of reason
Undervalues outcomes of actions
Application to self driving car: what would someone following ethics of duties do?
Should determine general rules that apply to all
Ex. If the owner of the car is seen as responsible, then the persons inside the car should be sacrificed
Rule example: the one who generates mobility risks cannot sacrifice non involved individuals
Rights and justice
Ethical theory based on the rights and justice of every human being
Key ideas: veil of ignorance; social contract
Natural human rights
Basic, important, inalienable entitlements that should be respected and protected in every single situation
Based on human dignity and lead to DUTY to protect, respect and support them
Main natural rights
Right to life, freedom, property, speech, privacy, conscience, and fair trial among others
