Ethics Midterm Flashcards

1
Q

Philosophy

A

the attempt to think carefully and critically about some of life’s most important questions

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2
Q

3 Main Areas of Philosophy:
Applied Ethics (miss A)

A

are actions MORALLY PERMISSIBLE?

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3
Q

3 Main Areas of Philosophy:
Normative Ethics

A

what makes RIGHT ACTIONS RIGHT & WRONG ACTIONS WRONG

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4
Q

3 Main Areas of Philosophy:
Meta Ethics (meta is fun!)

A

what is the FUNDAMENTAL NATURE of morality?

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5
Q

Argument

A

a set of claims which are used to provide rational support for another claim

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6
Q

Parts of an Argument:
Premises

A

reasons in support of one’s conclusion

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7
Q

Parts of an Argument:
Conclusion

A

the claim one aims to defend

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8
Q

Normative Ethics –> Mill Utilitarianism ( U = happy)

A

an act is right if it promotes happiness and wrong if it promotes pain (opposite of happiness)

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9
Q

Normative Ethics –> Duty Ethics Kant (Kant duty)

A

an act is right if it is done from duty and wrong if it violates the categorical imperative

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10
Q

Normative Ethics –>
Virtue Ethics Aristotle (aRistotle - viRtuous)

A

an act is right is it is virtuous and wrong if it is vicious

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11
Q

Normative Ethics –> Natural Law Ethics Aquinas (Aqua = Natural)

A

an act is right if it follows the natural law & wrong if it violates the natural law

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12
Q

Normative Ethics –> Value Pluralism W.D. Ross (ross is important!)

A

an act is right when it accords with the most important duty and wrong when it violates that duty

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13
Q

Mill Utilitarianism Method

A

ask lots of people and rely on their collective judgement

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14
Q

Kant Duty Ethics Method

A

analyze what is ‘good’ and what is our ‘duty’

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15
Q

Aristotle Virtue Ethics Method (how does this thing work?

A

determine the function of that thing and how well it performs it’s function

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16
Q

Aquinas Natural Law Ethics Method ( a ver natural things)

A

apply proper reasoning to facts about human nature/examine natural inclinations

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17
Q

W.D. Ross Value Pluralism Ethics Method

A

rely on what smart people say and the circumstances of the situation

18
Q

Mill (Utilitarianism)
Happiness v Contentment

A

Happiness - higher/superior pleasures, only smart people have these
Contentment - “lower” pleasures, pleasures that dumb people can have

19
Q

Happiness v Contentment: How to Tell the Difference

A

Happiness requires intellect, while contentment does not

20
Q

Categorical Imperative (Kant):
Universal Law

A

if you do an action in a certain scenario, EVERYONE must do that action in that same scenario

21
Q

Categorical Imperative (Kant):
Humanity Formulas (human rights)

A

we must respect our and everyone else’s autonomy

22
Q

Kant: Why is the only thing that is good in an unqualified sense a good will?

A

good things will become bad in a person IF THE PERSON HAS A BAD WILL

23
Q

Kant: Hypothetical v Categorical Imperative

A

Hypothetical: a rule that is conditional (depend on circumstances)
Categorical: a rule that ALWAYS APPLIES

24
Q

Aristotle - Virtue (very well)

A

an emotional, behavioral, volitional/intellectual quality that ENABLES US TO FUNCTION WELL IN SOCIETY

25
Q

Aristotle - Vice

A

opposite of virtue, something that HINDERS OUR ABILITY TO FUNCTION IN SOCIETY

26
Q

Aristotle - Continence

A

CONSISTENCY between thinking and action (ie beliefs and actions MATCH)

27
Q

Aristotle - Incontinence

A

INCONSISTENCY between thinking and action (ie beliefs and actions DO NOT MATCH)

28
Q

Aristotle: WHY is true happiness “an activity of the soul in accordance with reason”?

A

because humans have a function (unique to humans) and a soul

29
Q

Aquinas: Why is law something that pertains to reason?

A

humans have speculative reasons, which helps us figure out what to believe, and we have practical reasons, which helps us figure out what to do

30
Q

Aquinas: Why should all true laws promote the common good?

A

because people are part of the community, so the true laws should promote each person to do things that promote the common good

31
Q

Aquinas: 3 Natural Inclinations of Humans

A

1) self preservation
2) procreate
3) learn & live in a stable society

32
Q

Aquinas: the Precepts of the 3 Natural Inclinations of Humans

A

1) (self preservation) –> actions that preserve human life belong to the natural law
2) (procreate) –> whatever promotes procreation/nuture/education of offspring belongs to the natural law
3) (learn & live in stable society) –> whatever increases human knowledge/promotes stable society belongs to the natural law

33
Q

W.D. Ross: Prima Facie Duty

A

conditional duty that sometimes overrides another duty

34
Q

W.D. Ross: 3 out of 7 Prima Facie Duties

A

1) reparation - make it right
2) gratitude - be grateful
3) justice - give what’s deserved

35
Q

W.D. Ross: Why does he think his method is correct? Explain ‘Reflective Common Sense’

A

He thinks his method is correct because 1) we can only access facts by thinking about them, 2) reflecting on our moral code proves the existence of 7 PF duties, and 3) some situations have conflicting duties.* Reflective common sense* consists of reviewing what well-educated people have said AND reviewing the situation’s circumstances

36
Q

Justice:
What is Justice?

A

the act of giving someone what they deserve

37
Q

Theories of Justice:
Libertarian v Socialist

A

Libertarian: free from government intrusion
Socialist: equality of outcome, all equal

38
Q

Rawl’s Theory of Justice

A

libertarian mixed with socialist. unbiased, rational, something that free people would choose

39
Q

Rawl: The Veil of Ignorance

A

no knowledge of someone’s social standing, abilities, etc –> default version. Rawl argues that we should use the Veil of Ignorance to serve justice because he believes justice should be free from bias

40
Q

Rawl’s 2 Principles of Justice

A

1) each person has an equal right to basic liberty
2) socioeconomic inequalities come from social positions in which they are open to all and everyone benefits from them

41
Q

William Marty’s criticism of Rawl’s Veil of Ignorance

A

the veil of ignorance takes away all of the important factors that determine justice, such as contribution, effort, risk, and responsibility