Ethics introduction Flashcards
Applied Ethics
Discussion of ethical approaches to specific problems of living such as medicine,politics,sports etc
Aretaic ethics
Term for virtue ethics which concentrates on the goodness of the person (character) rather than the action
Deontic ethics
Any type of ethics such as Kantianism or Utilltarianism which emphasis the action to be preformed
Deontological theories (absolute)
Any ethical system which ignores the outcomes,focusing on whether the act itself is good (Kantian,Agapism, divine command theory)
Divine command theory
X is right because God commands it.This view is rejected by most christian philosophers (Thomas Aquinas)
Emotivism
An ethical statement merely shows an emotion and no factual justification i.e killing is wrong is equal to saying “killing-boo”
Natural law theory
Moral rightness can be determined through careful reflection on the facts of the world: “right reason in accordance to nature”
Normative ethics
Theories of ethics which give guidance (norms) on how we should behave along with character traits
Relativism
Rightness is a culturally or religiously determined therefore incompatibility is justified
subjectivism
X is right becauseI say so and for no other reason (Jean-Paul Satre). Existentialism- a philosophical movement that believes that the universe just exists and has no meaning in itself.The meaning given to it down to the individual
Teleological Theories (Relative)
Any theory in which goodness or rightness is determined by the outcome (utilitarianism, egoism, situation ethics
Utilitarianism
The moral doctrine that one should always seek the greatest balance of good over evil
Vulgar Relativism
All beliefs are relative so should be tolerated.This is contradictory because tolerance would be a universal value, not relative!
