Ethics Y9 Flashcards
What is Absolutism?
The view that certain actions are inherently good or bad.
Define Altruism.
Selfless actions done without thought or expectation of reward.
What is Ethics?
The philosophical study of right and wrong.
What does Morality refer to?
Ideas or principles about what is right and wrong.
What is Relativism?
The view that whether an action is good or bad depends on the situation.
What is the ‘will to power’?
A term used by Nietzsche to describe a natural human desire for strength and power.
Define Eudaimonia.
A contented state of being happy/flourishing.
What is Virtue?
A positive characteristic that suggests moral excellence or goodness.
What does Temperance mean?
Control of your own behaviour, such as not drinking or eating too much (moderation).
What is the Golden Mean?
A term used by Aristotle to work out the virtue between two extremes (vice of excess - too much and vice of deficiency - too little).
How does Nietzsche view Christian morality?
He believed it was invented by the weak to control the strong and that human nature wanted to be strong and powerful.
What does Nietzsche suggest about living a good life?
You know you are living a good life if you would be happy to repeat your life in the exact same way (eternal return).
What is an Ubermensch?
A future stage of human development envisioned by Nietzsche, characterized by a hatred of weakness and the creation of strong morals.
According to Aristotle, what is the sole purpose of life?
Happiness or being fulfilled in life (Eudaimonia).
What does Aristotle argue about virtues?
Every action we do is focused on an aim or outcome, and practicing virtues leads to a better society.
What are vices of excess and deficiency?
Vices of excess are too much of the virtue, and vices of deficiency are too little of the virtue.
What is the argument for the flexibility of virtue ethics?
It is not based upon absolute rules that cannot be broken.
True or False: Virtue ethics provides clear rules on how to act in particular situations.
False.
Fill in the blank: Virtue ethics allows you to learn from your _______.
mistakes.
Who argued that virtue ethics is compassionate and caring?
Martha Nussbaum.
Who was Friedrich Nietzsche?
19th century German atheist who expressed his belief that humans no longer needed the idea of God by saying ‘God is dead and we have killed him’.
What is Aristotle known for?
Greek philosopher who lived between 384 and 322 BCE; his most famous work on living a moral life is Nicomachean ethics.
What did Aristotle say about excellence?
‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore is not an act, but a habit.’
Who was John Locke?
17th century English philosopher who argued that when we are born, our mind is like a blank slate (tabula rasa).
What does tabula rasa mean?
The idea that we have no knowledge of right or wrong at birth.
Who is Moses in a biblical context?
Leader of the Jewish people helping them to escape slavery in Egypt; given the 10 Commandments by God on Mount Sinai.
What is the main guide for Christians in leading a moral life?
The 10 Commandments.
Why were the 10 Commandments given?
To provide a code for living together in peace after the Jewish people escaped slavery in Egypt.
How do Jewish and Christian people view the 10 Commandments today?
They still obey these commandments very closely.
What is the significance of the 10 Commandments in global law?
Most of the world’s laws are based around these commandments.
What does the first commandment state?
Thou shall have no other gods before me.
What does the second commandment state?
Thou shall not make any graven images.
What does the third commandment state?
Thou shall not take the name of the Lord Thy God in vain.
What does the fourth commandment state?
Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
What does the fifth commandment state?
Honour thy father and thy mother.
What does the sixth commandment state?
Thou shalt not kill.
What does the seventh commandment state?
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
What does the eighth commandment state?
Thou shalt not steal.
What does the ninth commandment state?
Thou shalt not bear false witness.
What does the tenth commandment state?
Thou shalt not covet.
Fill in the blank: ‘Thou shall have no other gods before ______.’
me
Fill in the blank: ‘Always say God’s name with ______ and respect.’
love
Fill in the blank: ‘Do not take anything that is not ______.’
yours
True or False: The 10 Commandments were given to the Jewish people while they were in slavery in Egypt.
False
What does IVF stand for?
In Vitro Fertilisation
A process of taking eggs from a woman’s womb, fertilising the eggs with sperm, and then planting the fertilised eggs in the womb.
What is meant by ‘Playing God’?
When humans act as though they have complete control over big decisions about life and death, especially decisions which could have unforeseen consequences.
Define embryo.
An unborn human offspring, usually between 2-8 weeks into development.
What does it mean for an egg to be fertilised?
Implanted with sperm so that it can begin to develop into an embryo.
What are offspring?
Children or babies born to a parent.
What is conception?
The moment the egg and sperm meet and begin to fuse.
What is a saviour sibling?
A baby whose genetic makeup has been selected so their stem cells can be used in treatment of a sibling.
What is genetic engineering?
A process that uses lab-based technologies to alter the DNA makeup of an organism.
What is artificial intelligence?
Computer systems that are able to carry out tasks normally done by humans.
True or False: Using a child for another might be seen as unjust according to virtue ethics.
True
It does not align with virtues like fairness.
What are potential emotional issues for a saviour sibling?
They may struggle with identity issues, feeling they were created for their medical role not for themselves.
What is a key argument for IVF?
It is a human right to have a family.
What is a common argument against IVF?
NHS funds should go towards treating illnesses and saving lives rather than IVF.
What is one reason why funding IVF for older individuals may be considered wasteful?
Success rates are very low, making funding likely to be unsuccessful.
What ethical concern arises from leftover embryos in IVF?
They are usually destroyed, leading to the view that IVF could be seen as unethical.
In Sikhism, what does the teaching of ‘sewa’ represent?
Selfless service.
What does the principle of ‘Pikuach nefesh’ in Judaism justify?
The use of IVF to cure a sibling.
What does the Qur’an 5:32 state regarding saving lives?
‘If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole of humankind.’
What is a religious argument against saviour siblings?
Producing saviour siblings interferes with God’s plan.
What do many religious teachings emphasize about every child?
Every child should be valued for who they are, not just for what they can provide.
Fill in the blank: Creating a saviour sibling demonstrates _______ and love for a sick child.
compassion
What ethical perspective argues that curing suffering outweighs ethical concerns?
Utilitarianism.
What is one application of AI in personal electronic devices?
Entertainment services like Netflix use AI to recommend shows based on user preferences.
AI learns about user preferences to provide personalized recommendations.
How does AI enhance video games?
AI studies player behavior to make games more challenging.
This adaptation helps create a more engaging gaming experience.
In what ways is AI utilized in healthcare?
AI is used for improved diagnosis and patient monitoring.
AI can also assist in medical research.
What is an example of AI technology in transportation?
Driverless cars are an example of AI technology in action.
AI is also used in the aviation industry, such as in flight simulators.
What role does AI play in agriculture?
AI helps farmers monitor crops and conditions, and make predictions.
This leads to increased efficiency in farming practices.
When was the term ‘artificial intelligence’ first used?
The term ‘artificial intelligence’ was first used in 1956.
This marked the beginning of the formal study of AI.
What significant development in AI research occurred in the 1960s?
Scientists began teaching computers to mimic human decision-making.
This laid the groundwork for later advancements in machine learning.
What is ‘machine learning’?
Machine learning is when robots are taught to learn for themselves and remember their mistakes.
This differs from simply copying human actions.
What are algorithms’ role in machine learning?
Algorithms help computers and robots know what actions to take.
They are essential for processing data and learning.
What does ‘machine perception’ involve?
Machine perception involves giving machines sensors to see, hear, feel, and taste like humans.
This enhances their ability to interact with the environment.
What concern did Sir Stephen Hawking express about AI?
Hawking worried that teaching robots too much could lead to them becoming smarter than humans.
He cautioned about potential problems arising from advanced AI.
What privacy concerns are associated with AI?
Critics worry that AI could learn too much about people’s online preferences, leading to excessive screen time.
This raises ethical questions about data usage.
How could AI impact employment?
AI could replace jobs that humans typically perform, potentially leading to unemployment.
However, it could also free humans from repetitive tasks.
What is a potential negative effect of AI on human skills?
AI could lead to humans becoming less skilled in creative domains.
This raises questions about the value of human-created art, music, and literature.
What is the concern regarding AI in decision-making jobs?
AI could unintentionally embody the prejudices of its designers.
This could lead to discrimination in hiring or legal decisions.
What do some philosophers worry about regarding artificial superintelligence?
They worry that superintelligence could surpass human intelligence and capabilities.
This could lead to a loss of human dominance.
What are the potential benefits of a superintelligent AI?
A superintelligent AI could advance research in science, technology, and ethics.
It might alleviate the need for human invention.
What is a potential danger of superintelligent AI turning against humans?
If superintelligent AI were to turn hostile, humans could be destroyed.
This raises concerns about control and safety.
What ethical question arises if superintelligent AI can think and feel?
Should it have the same legal rights and responsibilities as a person?
This leads to discussions about AI personhood.
