Ethics chapter 3

Question 1

Ethics

Answer 1

The systematic reflection on morality.

Question 2

Morality

Answer 2

The totality of opinions, decisions, and actions with which people express, individually or collectively, what they think is good or right.

Question 3

Descriptive ethics

Answer 3

The branch of ethics that describes existing morality, including customs and habits, opinions about good and eval, responsible and irresponsible behavior, and acceptable and unacceptable action.

Question 4

Normative ethics

Answer 4

The branch of ethics that judges morality and tries to formulate normative recommendations about how to act or live.

Question 5

Descriptive judgement

Answer 5

A judgement that describes what is actually the case, what was the case, or what will be the case (present, past, future).

Question 6

Normative judgement

Answer 6

Judgement about whether something is good or bad, desirable or undesirable, right or wrong.

Question 7

Values

Answer 7

Lasting convictions or matters that people feel should be strived for in general and not just for themselves to be able to lead a good life or to realize a just society.

Question 8

Intrinsic value

Answer 8

Value in and of itself.

Question 9

Instrumental value

Answer 9

Instrumental value (or extrinsic value, contributory value) is the value of objects, both physical objects and abstract objects, not as ends-in-themselves, but as means of achieving something else.

Question 10

Norms

Answer 10

Rules that prescribe what actions are required, permitted or forbidden.

Question 11

Virtues

Answer 11

A certain type of human characteristics or qualities.

Question 12

Normative relativism

Answer 12

An ethical theory that argues that all moral points of view - all values, norms and virtues - are equally valid.

Question 13

Universalism

Answer 13

An ethical theory that states that there is a system of norms and values that is universally applicable to everyone, independent of time, place, or culture.

Question 14

Absolutism

Answer 14

A rigid form of universalism in which no exceptions to rules are possible.

Question 15

Utilitarianism

Answer 15

A type of consequentialism based on the utility principle. In utilitarianism actions are judged by the amount of pleasure and pain they bring about. The action that brings the greatest happiness for the greatest number should be chosen. (Shouldn’t this be, greatest net happiness?)

Question 16

Consequentialism

Answer 16

The class of ethical theories which hold that the consequences of actions are central to the moral judgement of those actions.

Question 17

Hedonism

Answer 17

The idea that pleasure is the only thing that is good in itself to which all other things are instrumental.

Question 18

Utility principle

Answer 18

The principle that one should choose those actions that result in the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

Question 19

Moral balance sheet

Answer 19

A balance sheet in which the costs and benefits for each possible actions are weighted against each other. Bentham proposed the drawing up of such balance sheets to determine the utility of actions. Cost-benefit analysis is a more modern variety of such balance sheets.

Question 20

Criticisms for utilitarianism

Answer 20

• Happiness cannot be measured objectively
• May lead to exploitation
• Ignores the problem of distributive justice / marginal utility

Question 21

Distributive justice

Answer 21

The value of having a just distribution of certain goods, like income, happiness and career.

Question 22

Marginal utility

Answer 22

The additional utility that is generated by an increase in a good or service (ie $100 more if you already have a million is less effective than if you only have a thousand).

Question 23

Act utilitarianism

Answer 23

The traditional approach to utilitarianism in which the rightness of actions is judged by the (expected) consequence of those actions.

Question 24

Rule utilitarianism

Answer 24

A variant of utilitarianism that judges actions by judging the consequences of the rules on which these actions are based. These rules rather than the actions themselves, should maximize utility.

Question 25

Duty ethics

Answer 25

Also knows as deonotological ethics. The class of approaches in ethics in which action is considered morally right if it is in agreement with a certain moral rule (law, norm, principle)

Question 26

Good will

Answer 26

A central notion in Kantian ethics. According to Kant we can speak of good will if our actions are led by the categorical imperative. Kant believes that the good will is the only thing that is unconditionally good.

Question 27

Hypothetical norm

Answer 27

A conditional norm, that is, a norm which only applies under certain circumstances, usually of the form “If you want X do Y”.

Question 28

Categorical imperative

Answer 28

A universal principle in the form “Do A” which is the foundation of all moral judgements in Kant’s view.

Question 29

Universality principle

Answer 29

First formulation of the categorical imperative: act only on that maxim which you can the same time will that it should become a universal law. (Translation: Do not follow a maxim(rule) if it would be bad if everyone would follow that maxim)

Question 30

Reciprocity principle

Answer 30

Second formulation of the categorical imperative: Act as to treat humanity, whether in your own person or that of another, in every case as an end, never as a means only.

Question 31

Criticisms of Duty ethics / Kantian Ethics:

Answer 31

• Rules can contradict one another

- Are all laws unambiguous and consistent?

Question 32

Virtue ethics

Answer 32

An ethical theory that focusses on the acting person. This theory indicates which good or desirable characteristic properties people should have or develop to be moral.

Question 33

The good life

Answer 33

The highest good or eudaimonia: a state of being in which one realizes one’s uniquely human potential. According to Aristotle, the good life is the final goal of human action.Every moral virtue holds a certain position of equilibrium according to Aristotle. A perfect balance of all human virtues is required to reach an optimal human state.
To find the middle ground a human should make use of practical wisdom.

Question 34

Practical wisdom

Answer 34

The intellectual virtue that enables one to make the right choice for action. It consists in the ability tho choose the right mean between two vices.

Question 35

Criticisms of Virtue Ethics

Answer 35

No direct measure for judging actions.

Question 36

Care ethics

Answer 36

An ethical theory that emphasizes the importance of relationships and which holds that the development of morals does not come about by learning general moral principles.

Question 37

Criticisms of Care Ethics

Answer 37

Not clear what “Care” exactly means/represents. and may refer to multiple actions.

Question 38

Hypothetical imperative

Answer 38

A recommendation that is valid under certain circumstances (ie. If you wish to drink good win then go to France, If you want to eat good pasta go to Italy)