ethics Flashcards
What is the distinction between facts and values?
Facts: descriptive or explanatory
Values/ethics: normative, prescriptive & evaluative. How you should live and act
What is normative ethics?
Studies ethical action, how we ought to behave. What are right or wrong actions.
What is descriptive ethics?
Studies ethical beliefs: investigating moral beliefs and what motivates people to act ethically.
What is applied ethics?
How ethical theories and principles apply to various fields.
What is consequentialism? What is a critique? Who is associated with it?
Utilitarianism: focus on the consequences if an action for the greatest good of the greatest number. What about unintended consequences and those who aren’t included in the majority?
Stuart Mill & Jeremy Bentham.
What is an example that challenges the consequentialist approach?
Choosing to cheer up your lonely mum for a day instead of counselling refugees.
What is deontological ethics? What is a critique? Who is associated with it?
We have a duty to behave in a way that aligns with our rationality based on humanist principles and leading to universalisable actions. Removes personal agency, ignores feeling and doesn’t deal conflicting values. Kant.
What is an example that challenges the approach of deontological ethics?
Peter allows a homeless man who he has befriended to get away with giving false information so that he can get into housing faster.
What is virtue ethics? What is a critique? Who is associated with it?
Ethical behaviour results from developing good character and virtues. But what virtues should be developed and valued above others? Aristotle.
What is an example that challenges the approach of virtue ethics?
Rudi was brave enough to participate in a violent protest against internal immigrants but too compassionate to fire his gun.
