Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

CS 402: Computer Science Ethics > Ethical Theories(2021) > Flashcards

Ethical Theories(2021) Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Definition:

Ethics

A

Study of Principles relating to right and wrong conduct

  • Broader concept than morality
    • Higher level activity that evaluates moral systems
    • Creates new ways of evaluating moral problems
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Difference Between

Morals and Ethics

A

Morals

  • Morality refers to guidelines that determine what you should do
  • Also lets you figure out if a decision is right or wrong
  • What is considered right or wrong based on social custom

Ethics

  • What is right or wrong based on reason
  • Broader than morality
  • Higher level activity that evaluates moral systems
  • Creates new ways of evaluating moral problems
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Ethical Reasoning:

How to determine if a branch of ethical reasoning is rational or not?

A

If it is rational, it relies upon logical reasoning from facts or commonly held facts.

An ethical argument is not strong unless it presents facts or values.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Ethical Analysis/Reasoning

Basic Description

A

Understanding how to apply abstract ethical principles in real life.

  • Analysis helps make decisions when the right thing to do isn’t clear cut
  • Can be a way to evaluate an issue and choose a course of action
  • Can help illuminate many sides of an issue
  • Can help produce persuasive arguments
  • Ethical reasoning can be taught
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Ethical Reasoning:

Common Logical Fallacies (2)

A

Many/Any Fallacy

Equivalence Fallacy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Ethical Reasoning:

Many/Any Fallacy

Summary and Example

A

Many/Any Fallacy:

Any option is acceptable after observing that many options are acceptable

Example: A person may take many routes home from work

  • All of these routes are “good” in the sense that the person reaches their destination safety and in reasonable time
  • This does not imply that all routes between work and home are good
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Ethical Reasoning:

Equivalence Fallacy:

Description and Example

A

Equivalence Fallacy:

Confuses similarity with equality

Example: Adolf Hitler is evil incarnate

  • Concluding that everything Hitler did or said was evil would be an equivalence fallacy

Example: We say “God is good”

  • Equivalence fallacy to conclude that good and God are identical
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Major Ethical Theories (8)

A

Theories Considered Unusable:

  • Subjective Relativism
  • Cultural Relativism
  • Divine Command Theory
  • Ethical Egoism

More Useful Theories:

  • Kantianism
  • Act Utilitarianism
  • Rule Utilitarianism
  • Social Contract Theory
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Formulation Approaches

covered in this class (5)

A
  • Kantian First Formulation
    • Stability
    • Self Interest
  • Kantian Second Formulation
    • Individuals treated fairly
  • Utilitarianism
    • What helps the most
    • Act and Rule Variations
  • Social Contract Theory
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Ethical Theories:

Relativism (General)

A

Relativism:

  • No universal norms of right and wrong
  • One can say “X is right”, another can say “X is wrong”
  • Both would be correct
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Ethical Theories:

Types of Relativism

A

Subjective Relativism

Cultural Relativism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Ethical Theories:

Subjective Relativism

A

Subjective relativism

  • Each person decides right and wrong for themselves
  • What’s right for you may not be right for me
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

The Case for

Subjective Relativism

A
  • Well-meaning and intelligent people disagree on moral issues
  • Ethical debates are disagreeable and pointless
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Case Against

Subjective Relativism

A
  • Blurs distinction between doing what you think is right and doing what you want to do
  • Makes no more distinction between actions of different people
  • SR and tolerance are two different things
  • Decisions may not be based on reason
  • Not a workable ethical theory
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Ethical Theories:

Cultural Relativism

Basic Description

A
  • What is “right” and “wrong” depends upon a society’s actual moral guidelines
  • These guidelines vary from place to place and over time
  • A particular action may be right in one society at one time and wrong in another society or at another time
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Case for Cultural Relativism

A
  • Different social contexts demand different moral guidelines
  • It is arrogant for one society to judge another
  • Morality is reflected in actual behavior
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Case Against

Cultural Relativism

A
  • Because two societies do have different moral views doesn’t mean they ought to have different views
  • Doesn’t explain how moral guidelines are determined or evolve (tradition, folklore, etc)
  • Provides no resolutions for cultures in conflict
  • Societies do share certain core values
  • Only indirectly based on reason
  • Not a workable ethical theory
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Ethical Theories:

Divine Command Theory

Basic Description

A
  • Good actions are those aligned with god’s will
  • Bad actions are those contrary to god’s will
  • Holy books reveal god’s will
  • We should use holy books as moral decision-making guidelines
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Case for

Divine Command Theory

A
  • We owe obedience to a creator
  • God is all-good and all-knowing
  • God is the ultimate authority
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Case Against

Divine Command Theory

A
  • Different holy books disagree
  • Society is multicultural
  • Some moral problems not addressed in scripture
  • “The good” is not equal to “god”
  • Based on obedience, not reason (maybe)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Ethical Theories:

Ethical Egoism

Basic Description

A
  • Each person should focus exclusively on their self-interest
  • The morally right action for a person to take in a particular situation is the action that will provide the person with the maximum long term benefit
  • Ayn Rand says, “Voluntary trade alone can assure that human interaction is mutually beneficial.”
  • What is in a person’s self-interest may be incidentally detrimental, beneficial, or neutral in its effect on others
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Case for

Ethical Egoism

A
  • Practical moral philosophy
  • Better to let other people take care of themselves
  • The community can benefit when individuals put themselves first
  • Other moral principles are rooted in self-interest
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Case Against Ethical Egoism

A
  • Just because it’s easy does not make it good
  • We do in fact know a lot about what is good for someone else
  • Self-interest can lead to immoral behavior
  • Other moral principles are better
  • People who take the good of others into account live happier lives
  • No motivation to cooperate with other individuals if they cannot cooperate in return for something that is beneficial to you
  • Not a workable theory
24
Q

Ethical Theories

Kantianism:

Basic Description

A
  • Good will is the desire to do the right thing
  • Immanuel Kant: Only thing in the world good without qualification is good will.
  • Rational beings should cultivate a desire to do the right thing
  • Moral laws are “universal”
  • From the “Age of Enlightenment”
  • Focuses on intention behind actions
  • Describes a “Categorical Imperative” with two different formulations
25
Q

Kantian

Categorical Imperative

Formulations:

Basic Ideas

A

First Formulation

Act only from rules that you can at the same time will to be be universal moral laws

Second Formulation

Act so that you treat both yourself and others as ends in themselves and never only as a means to an end

26
Q

Kantian First Formulation

A
  1. Formulate the Rule
  2. Generalize the rule such that it is universal
    • Assume Common Knowledge
  3. Determine if the world in which the universal rule was enforced would reach an equilibrium(stable)
  4. Ask:
    • Can I rationally act on my own rule?
    • Can I rationally achieve my goal in a world with this universal rule?
    • If the answer to either is NO, the rule is not acceptable
27
Q

Kantian Second Formulation:

Questions and Basic Idea

A
  1. Consider the Action
  2. Are individuals being used as means to an end?
  3. Decide whether individuals are being manipulated or acting of free will and for themselves
  • Exchange money for goods
  • Individuals treating each other as ends
  • Each acting in self interest with clear choices
28
Q

Case for Kantianism

A
  • Rational - can reason about a solution to ethical problem
  • Produces universal moral guidelines
  • Treats all persons as moral equals
  • He argued that human concepts and categories structure our view of the world and its laws, and that reason is the source of morality
29
Q

Case Against Kantianism

A
  • Sometimes no rule adequately characterizes an action
  • There is no way to resolve a conflict between rules
  • Kantianism allows no exceptions to moral laws
30
Q

Ethical Theories:

Utilitarianism:

Principle of Utility

A

An action is right (or wrong)

to the extent that it

increases (or decreases)

the total happiness

of the affected parties.

(Can also be called the Greatest Happiness Principle)

31
Q

Ethical Theories:

Utilitarianism

Basic Description

A

Uses the Principle of Utility(Happiness) as a basis

  • Morality of an action has nothing to do with intent
  • Focuses on the consequences
  • Consequentialist theory
  • Two types:
    • Act Utilitarianism - evaluates individual actions
    • Rule Utilitarianism - evaluates proposed rules
  • Attempt to measure the “happiness” or “utility” of an action or rule
32
Q

Act Utilitarianism

vs

Rule Utilitarianism

A

Act Utilitarianism

  • Moral evaluation of Acts
  • Evaluate by adding up change in happiness due to actions

Rule Utilitarianism

  • Moral evaluation of Rules
  • Evaluate by asking if the rule would increase total happiness if followed
33
Q

Choosing an Action:

Act Utilitarianism

vs

Rule Utilitarianism

A

Act

Considers a single action( on a case by case basis) and asks whether it will improve utility

Rule

Will instead take an action if it conforms to an already justified rule

34
Q

Rule Utilitarianism:

What is a

Justified Rule?

A

A Justified Rule

is one that exists because

it improves utility more than

other possible rules

or not having a rule

35
Q

Ethical Theories:

Act Utilitarianism:

Basic Description

A

Applies Principle of Utility to an action.

  • Add up the change in happiness of all affected beings/stakeholders
    • One way is with the Bentham Criteria
  • If change in happiness > 0, action is good
  • If change in happiness < 0, action is bad
36
Q

Ethical Theories:

Utilitarianism:

Bentham Categories for

Weighing Pleasure/Pain

(7)

A
  • Intensity
  • Duration
  • Certainty
  • Extent
  • Propinquity - geographically near, kinship, proximity
  • Fecundity - fertility (more of the same will follow)
  • Purity - pleasure won’t follow pain
37
Q

Case for

Act Utilitarianism

A
  • Focuses on happiness
  • Down to earth (practical)
  • Comprehensive
38
Q

Case Against

Act Utilitarianism

A
  • Unclear whom to include in calculations
  • Too much work
  • Ignores our innate sense of duty
  • Susceptible to the problem of moral luck
    • Moral Luck: Sometimes actions do not have intended consequences.
        • Moral worth of action is dependent on consequences that may not be under control of a person
39
Q

What is

the problem of

Moral Luck?

A

Moral Luck:

Sometimes actions do not have intended consequences.

  • Moral worth of action is dependent on consequences that may not be under control of a person
40
Q

Ethical Theories:

Rule Utilitarianism:

Basic Description

A
  • We ought to adopt moral rules
    • If followed by everyone will lead to greatest increase in total happiness
  • Act utilitarianism applies Principle of Utility to individual actions
  • Rule utilitarianism applies principle of utility to moral rules
  • An action is right (or wrong) to the extent that it increases (or decreases) the total happiness of the effected parties
41
Q

Utilitarian Rule Formulation

A
  1. Specify the Options
  2. Specify the possible Consequences for each option
  3. For each option, estimate the Probability of each of its consequences
    • There may be some you can’t control
  4. Estimate the Utility of each consequence
    • Using the Principle of Utility
  5. Identify the Best Prospect
42
Q

Laws that Protect Whistle Blowers

A
  • False Claims Act
  • Whistleblower Protection Act
43
Q

Case for

Rule Utilitarianism

A
  • Compared to act utilitarianism, it is easier to perform the utilitarian calculus.
  • Not every moral decision requires performing utilitarian calculus
  • Moral rules survives exceptional situations
  • Avoids the problem of moral luck
  • Workable Ethical Theory
44
Q

Case Against

Utilitarianism in General

A
  • All consequences must be measured on a single scale
  • Utilitarianism ignores an unjust distribution of goods
    • Utilitarianism does not mean: “The greater good of the greatest number”
    • That requires a principle of justice
  • What happens when a conflict arrises between the principle of Utility and a principle of Justice?
45
Q

Ethical Theories:

Social Contract Theory

Basics

A
  • Thomas Hobbes
    • “State of nature”
    • We implicitly have a social contract - Establishment of moral rules to govern relations among citizens - Government capable of enforcing the rules
  • Jean Jacques Rousseau
    • In ideal society, no one is above the rules
    • That prevents society from enacting bad rules

People act towards the common good out of self-interest without agreement

  • Morality is the result of an implicit agreement among rational beings who understand that there is a tension between selfinterest and the common good
  • The common good is best realized when everyone cooperates
  • Cooperation occurs when those acting selfishly suffer negative consequences
  • Examples: Recycling, energy conservation
46
Q

James Rachel’s

Definition of

Social Contract Theory

A

Morality consists in:

The set of rules governing how people treat each other,

that rational people will agree to accept for their mutual benefit

on the condition that others follow those rules as well

47
Q

Kinds of Rights

A
  • Negative Right:
    • A right that another can guarantee by leaving you alone
  • Positive Right:
    • A right obligating others to do something on your behalf
  • Absolute Right:
    • A right guaranteed without exception
  • Limited Right:
    • A right that may be restricted based on the circumstances
48
Q

Kinds of Rights:

Negative Right

A

Negative Right:

A right that another can guarantee by leaving you alone

49
Q

Kinds of Rights:

Positive Right

A

Positive Right:

A right obligating others to do something on your behalf

50
Q

Kinds of Rights:

Absolute Right

A

Absolute Right:

A right guaranteed without exception

51
Q

Kinds of Rights:

Limited Right

A

Limited Right:

A right that may be restricted based on the circumstances

52
Q

John Rawl’s

Principles of Justice

A
  • Each person may claim a “fully adequate” number of basic rights and liberties, so long as those claims are consistent with everyone else have a claim to the same rights and liberties
  • Any social and economic inequalities must:
    • Be associated with positions that every has a fair and equal opportunity to achieve
    • Be to the greatest benefit of the least-advantaged members of society
53
Q

Case for

Social Contract Theory

A
  • Framed in language of rights
  • Explains why people act in self-interest without common agreement
  • Provides clear analysis of certain citizen/ government problems
54
Q

Case Against

Social Contract Theory

A
  • No one signed contract
  • Some actions have multiple characterizations
  • Conflicting rights problem
  • May unjustly treat people who cannot uphold contract
55
Q

Approaches to Morality and Ethics:

Objectivism vs Relativism

A
  • Objectivism: Morality has an existence outside the human mind
  • Relativism: Morality is a human invention
  • Kantianism, Utilitarianism, and social contract theory examples of objectivism

CS 402: Computer Science Ethics (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions