Ethics Flashcards
Define moral
A moral action is typically viewed as good if it has a positive outcome overall E.g. giving money to charity.
Define immoral
An action may be viewed as immoral if it has a negative overall outcome E.g. murder.
Define amoral
An action may be viewed as amoral if it has absolutely no consequences E.g. what kind of chocolate you like.
Define absolutism
Absolutism means that God has set a fixed standard of right and wrong for all humans to live by with no exceptions.
Define relativism
Relativism states that morals should be based on circumstance rather than be a fixed standard. If the outcome is positive, then it can justify how you got that outcome.
Define worldview
A person’s perception or conception of the world.
Define athiest
A person who doesn’t follow any religion.
Define agnostic
A person who is unsure of their stance on religion.
Define theist
A person who belongs to a religion and believes in a god/s
Who is Gordon Wilson and why is he a role model for forgiveness?
Gordon Wilson was a carpenter from Fermanagh who was involved in an IRA bombing during Enniskillen’s Remembrance Day parade. He lost his daughter in the attack, but he still forgave the bombers in an interview later that same day. He said “I bear no I’ll will, I bear no grudge”. He later visited the prison where the bombers who killed his daughter were kept and shared a meal with them so he could try and understand their perspective. He then became a peace campaigner during the troubles and spoke with representatives of the IRA and Sinn Féin.
Explain “Morality as designed by God.”
When it comes to ethical issues, God provides principles that help people live by absolute moral standards. E.g. as the 6th commandment states ‘not to murder’ it is therefore always wrong to have an abortion. The train of thought is as follows:
There is a fixed/absolute moral law
This is objective to our own personal preferences
Such a moral law has been designed by an all-powerful and knowledgeable being
Therefore, God exists.
Explain “Morality as decided by humanity”
Morality decided by humanity refers to the idea of ethical relativism, whereby moral decision
making is affected by circumstances. If the outcome is positive, it can justify the means of how you get that outcome. Rules are not considered to be fixed and the consequences of our actions should always determine what is right or wrong. Just because a philosopher might reject absolute rules, does not imply that ‘anything goes’. The train of thought is as follows:
If I perform this action, will it make me happier?
If I perform this action, will it allow others to be happier?
If the answer is yes, then the outcome can justify the action.
Explain “Morality as explained by evolution”
The thought process is that when we did things for our own kin millions of years ago, this was reciprocal in nature and ensured our survival, helping with hunting techniques. Over time, this became more complex, as we lived in towns and cities, there became other reasons to be moral. Initially, the principle was, ‘be nice to everyone because you will see them again and they can return your kindness’. Today people may be kind for a range of selfless reasons. This theory is also backed up by the fact that smarter animals seem to have a sense of right or wrong within their own species.
What is an issue where absolutism and relativism clash?
- Abortion
For someone who believes in absolutism, they will say that abortions are always wrong as it is the early ending of a pregnancy, intentionally killing the foetus in the process. And since it is always wrong to murder, abortions should never be allowed.
On the other side of the argument, people who believe in relativism may say that abortions can be moral depending on the circumstances. If a woman was to die if she gave birth, then people who believe in relativism would say that it’s completely moral in that scenario.
