Exam Notes Flashcards
Describe Aristotles ethics.
Humans find happiness in community and through goals/aim.
Highest capacity of humans is to be rational.
Doctrine of the mean = moderation.
Being rational helps develop character (good or bad). Character helps us develop habits which help us develop virtues/vices.
We become virtuous by continuously doing the right thing.
What is Aristotle’s ethics called?
Teleological ethics
What is Aristotle’s view on the 4 ethical scenarios/reactions?
The scream = aim is to help the person in need, must think rationally to determine if it’s better to call for help or give it.
The beggar = doctrine of the mean, don’t be cheap or excessive but generous.
The obligation = don’t be blindly obedient but obey reasonable requests.
The intolerable = it’s unreasonable to tolerate injustices. We must develop virtues to continue being just.
How does Aristotle define the Good Life?
Everyone seeks happiness.
We must act intelligently rather than on desires.
Don’t find THE good but A good
A good = real, THE good = God
Develop good character by acting virtuously to control passions through reasoning.
Name Kants Ethics.
Deontological ethics
Describe Kants ethics.
Good will = thé will to do our duty for no other reason than that it is our duty.
An act is good when done for our DUTY.
Actions are done based on duty not desires.
- DUTY is determined by
PRINCIPLES/MAXIMS.
God, freedom and immortality help achieve the supreme good.
Don’t treat others as a means to an end.
Don’t lie, it removed others freedom by withholding info.
How would Kant react to the ethical principles?
The Scream = we have a DUTY to respond to them. Maximes
The Beggar = the person is not a means but an end, universal maxim.
The Obligation = obligated to fulfill our duties and maxims.
The intolerable = we respond to injustices based on maxims
- (most injustices formed due to
treating others like a means to
an end)
How does Kant view the Good Life?
Happiness lies in people and within ourselves.
- we must act autonomously
Good will is of higher value than intelligible goods.
-intelligible goods < GOOD WILL
Moral acts are entirely selfless we must not enjoy the act.
What was the name of Levinas ethics?
Relational ethics
Describe Levinas ethics.
The search for THE Good = the search for God.
Main question = where is the good?
Everything is a unique expression of the Good and traces of God.
Traces of god = finite, god = infinite
The Face of the Other calls me to respond and be responsible.
The face is the most naked part of the body & the eyes penetrate all masks.
Goodness = responsibility for the Other.
How would Levinas react to the ethical experiences?
The Scream = we are responsible for the Other and must help them.
The Beggar = we are called to respond to the Other and in doing so recognize our own humility and goodness.
The Obligation = we are liberated (by the Face) when we fulfill our obligations to the Other.
The Intolerable = summoned to act to end injustices. The Face helps recognize the injustices.
How does Levinas define the Good Life?
Caring for others/The Other.
Goodness = responsibility for The Other.
The Other frees us.
How does Plato define the good life?
Don’t find THE Good but Good Things (ie. Beauty).
Closest we come to the good is in contemplation of it.
Fought against Sophists.
Plato believed through reason we find the pervading good.
How did St.Thomas Aquinas define the Good Life?
At a persons core is the desire for good.
God = highest Good.
Happiness cannot be complete on Earth despite happiness found through virtues.
Must follow Natural Law ( follow what God intended and what we naturally want to follow based on God).
Goodness is found in the Cardinal Virtues and the Theological Virtues.
Define Human Freedom Theory.
The freedom to act or not act.
We are responsible for our actions as we choose to do them autonomously.
Will + act = willed act
The will is invisible and without it there’s no Justice.
What is the churches view on human freedom?
We have the power to choose our own destiny by making good ethical, moral and spiritual choices.
The will is gods most precious gift.
What is Naturalism?
Everything is shaped by nature.
CAUSE AND EFFECT!!!
We are unable to intend as we are genetically preprogrammed.
We aren’t responsible for our actions as we can’t and don’t will them.
Bonus: what is AI theory?
We are genetically preprogrammed and all choices we make are a result of our genes/genetics.
Define predestination.
God predetermines the entire course or history and each humans fate.
Define providence.
Gods influence on events and actions.
What is religious pré-determinism?
Fate is determined at birth by God.
- ie. Once a sinner always a sinner
Our choices don’t impact our fate so we’re not responsible for them.
God pre determines our life.
Not responsible for our actions as we don’t control them.
What is Social determinism?
We are never free as we are a product of what others have done to us.
Human behaviour is driven by UNCONSCIOUS DESIRED and IMPULSES based on REPRESSED impulses and desires which drives the UNCONSCIOUS MIND.
SIGMUND FREUD = unconscious determinism
Freud believed that until you reconnect with the repressed memory your actions aren’t free.
There is no moral value to our actions as they are consequences of external pressures.
What is the first anthropological trait?
Importance of others:
Relationships and others help determine our actions
Others help us to rewatch our true self.
NARCISSISM: self absorption to the exclusion of others
What is the second anthropological trait?
Having a direction in life:
Knowing who you are means knowing where you stand.
Identity emerges from your direction in life.
Describe the third anthropological trait: Importance of communication/language.
**importance of communication/language: **
Our community helps shape our beliefs and values and teach what’s right and wrong.
Language is meaningless without shared experiences.
Describe the importance of character and my body.
Our actions shape our character.
Repeated actions create habits
Our choices are a result of our beliefs, values and habits.
Describe the character cycle
Conscience (choices and actions) —> habits (virtues and vices) —> character
What is the 5th anthropological trait? Describe it.
** Importance of conscience: **
Conscience and FREUD
Id = I want (desires)
Ego = regulates the id’s desires
Super ego = regulates our conduct through guilt and fear of punishment.
What is the last anthropological trait? Describe it
**Development of Conscience: **
Develops as we mature, through experiences, virtues, and helps us realize rights and wrongs.
Develops through our faith, scripture and Eucharist.
List the characteristics of an informed conscience.
Scripture
Church teachings and traditions
Christian community guidelines
Humility
The Eucharist
List the characteristics of a misinformed conscience.
Rationalization (rationalize it)
Trivialization (it’s no big deal)
Misinformation
Ends justifies the immoral means (journey = bad so outcome is bad)
Means to an end (using people to get what you want)
Difficult to reason
What are the three dimensions of conscience?
** Capacity** to recognize right and wrong:
Our capacity to know right and wrong and to do good.
Our sense of value and responsibility.
**Process ** of moral reasoning:
Knowing how to perceive and think accurately.
Conscience must be formed (through community) and examined.
Seek the truth and knowledge we make it our own and search for what we believe is right.
**Judgement **
What I must do in the situation based on my values
Realize and expresses my fundamental stance
Must obey this conscience to be true to myself
List the types of conscience.
Well-formed
Wrongly formed
LAX
Legalistic
List the types of guilt.
Warranted
Unwarranted
Too-little
Excessive
What are the Cardinal Virtues and what do they perfect?
Prudence —> intellect/reason
Justice —> will
Fortitude —> irascible appetite
Temperance —> concupiscible good
Must perfect!!!!
What are the Theological Virtues?
Faith
Hope
Charity
God given gifts!!!
What is the conceptual framework of action?
Who was it created by?
The conceptual framework of action was created by Paul Riocoeur.
There are 7 component:
1. Who
2. What
3. Why
4. How
5. Under what circumstances
6. With or against whom
7. With what outcome
What is the significance behind the Sermon on the Mount?
Reveals the heart of Jesus’s teachings, aka the beatitudes.
The beatitudes reveals the ethics of the kingdom of God as well as how to behave, act, and live according to God.
Can never be as good as God but we strive to be through the beatitudes
The beatitudes (and sermon) helps us fulfill the 10 commandments and attain virtues.
What is Eschatology?
Pertaining to the end of time and the fullness of time.
Time can’t contain Gods love fully but in fragments.
Helps us strive for the infinite good.
** Ethics in response to an experience of being loved **
Must always do and strive for the best despite never fully being able to achieve goodness to gods extent.
What was MacIntyres belief?
Standard of excellence:
Starts with moral virtues (general character traits) that help us engage successfully in various practices.
Practices help us gain specific skills which help in achieving rewards.
Rewards can be internal (our personal feelings) or external (an award).
Achieving these rewards help us reach the standard of excellence.
Standard of excellence should never be lowered, once everyone meets the standards then it should be raised.
Meeting and exceeding the standard is a crucial part of human flourishing*
What are institutions?
Social constructs that give structure and form to a community’s system of meanings, beliefs and values.
Values become established in social institutions.
What are the ethics of institutions? How do they help achieve the good life?
Institutions are the backbone of the common good
Directs how to promote and protect the social good.
Institutions are only as good as the people running them.
We are all called to and are responsible to make institutions better.
What’s the difference between sensible and intelligible?
Sensible = known via sensation
Intelligible = no sensible qualities, aka a “known good”. Known by intellect.
What are the basic intelligible human goods?
Motivating principles of human action.
Drawn to them.
As we achieve/fulfill them we achieve happiness.
What are the substantive intelligible goods?
What do the represent?
Makes peoples lives better
1.life
- preserve, defend, and create it
- good to be alive
- Knowledge of truth
- seek truth and ask questions
- Leisure - aesthetics
- seek/behold the beautiful
- Leisure - skill
- inclined to create beauty
through skills - develop and perfect skills
- inclined to create beauty
What are the harmony intelligible goods?
What do they represent?
The self in relation to others.
- Sociability
- harmony between ourself and
others - friendships (us) and peace
peace treaties (nations)
- harmony between ourself and
- Spirituality/Religion
- harmony between ourself and
God/the divine
- harmony between ourself and
- Integrity
- harmony between the various
elements of the self - inner peace, harmony in our
choices
- harmony between the various
- Marriage
- giving one’s physical self to
another - unity/union
- giving one’s physical self to
Define law.
Where does law come from?
Laws come from God, the Church or society (governments).
A reasonable decision made by a competent authority figure.
The judgement of a lawmaker
HAS A LEGAL PUNISHMENT ASSOCIATED!!
Define rule.
A prescribed guide for conduct/action.
An authoritative statement of what can or can’t be done.
Define maxim.
A general truth or rule of conduct.
How every ethical person would react in the same situation.
List the ethical principles
- Do good avoid evil
- Do to others as you would have them do to you
- The ends don’t justify the means
- don’t do evil so good may come
of it
- don’t do evil so good may come
- When in doubt don’t
- The lesser of two evils
- The 3 font principle
- three elements in ethical
decisions, all three must be in
agreement - act: what’s being done
- motive: why did do it
- circumstances: factors
- three elements in ethical
- Balance all rights and
responsibilities - Totality
- Cooperation
-
formal = someone
intentionally helps another or
is aware of another committing
a sinful act that they are apart of -
material = unaware of the
others sinful act to achieve the
good act/end result. Only
permitted if there’s an
overriding reason.
-
formal = someone
- Probabilism
- can’t prevent a good act
because you aren’t sure if it’s a
good act
- can’t prevent a good act
- Follow what nature intends
- Dignity and worth of every
human life - Moral relativity vs. Objectivity
- relativity = based on feelings
- objectivity = based on facts
only right or wrong.
List Eriksons cognitive development theory stages.
- Trust v mistrust
- babies
- physical needs must be met, not
too little (lack of trust), not too
much (unhealthy dependency)
but healthy dependency.
- Autonomy v shame/doubt
- 2-5 y/o
- develops independence’s new
how to say no - too little = shame and doubt
- too much = narcissism
- Initiative v Guilt
- toddlers
- as children’s worlds broaden
they either develop initiative or
guilt due to not feeling like they
can do something
- Industry v inferiority
- 8-12 y/o
- child gains confidence through
success - inferior/lack of confidence —>
confidence —> over confidence
- Identity v identity confusion
- Teens (me)
- teens look to define their
identity and explore their place
in society - identity confusion occurs when
teens don’t know who they are
and turn to others to tell them.
- Intimacy v isolation
- late teens to early adults (me)
- a crisis of finding someone to
share yourself with (romantic/
platonic) - if unsuccessful they spiral into
isolation
- Generatively v stagnation
- mid life (crisis)
- contribution to next generation
- stagnation if they feel their life
was a waste and become
paralyzed by the idea that their
life meant nothing to anyone
else (insignificant)
- Integrity v despair
- end of life
- evaluate their life, determine if it
was good or not - good = integrity
- bad = despair, sorrow and doubt
List Kohlbergs theory of moral development.
- Preconceived moral thinking
- 3-7 y/o
- children make moral decisions
based on fear of being punished
and rewards
- Conventional moral thinking
- 8-13 y/o (me)
- duty bound
- teens act morally based on how
much they trust, care and are
loyal do others. - follows rules out of respect for
authority.
- Post-conventional moral thinking
- adults
- moral decisions based on
principles of Justice and our
concern for the greater good. - you act on your own judgements
Describe Thomas Hobbes ideal state.
State of nature is brutish, nasty and poor.
Each individual has the natural right to everything regardless of others
Laws in state of nature are laws of self preservation
Individuals fear death so they form society
Gov’s role = protect competition to prevent murder
Society = a transfer of rights, limit individual powers to protect themselves.
- Protection forms
obligation to obey ruler/
Govt
Describe John Lockes ideal state.
Tabula Rasa = empty slate
Tabula Plena = full slate
Created majority rules, minority rights, and private property
We are equal and free to act without interference from others
Individuals voluntarily surrender their rights to protect property.
Govt likes property owners and is biased to the rich
Govt makes rules and laws about private property
Freedom = pursuit of one’s life, liberty and property
Common good is served when govt protects private property
Can overthrow bad government
Describe Rousseaus ideal state.
Natural state = humans good by nature but society corrupts us, makes us competitive.
Social contract = submit to the general will of society
Govt creates laws, we follow them
Only accept society if it benefits us
Everyone’s equal and bound to the social contract, including government.
Govt can be replaced if not following social contract.
Describe John Rawls ideal state.
HATED utilitarianism (aka greatest good for greatest # of people)
Only accepts what’s just and fair
Two principles of Justice
1. Rights are given equally to
everyone, everyone has a
system of rights
- can be traded off to ensure
the largest system of rights
2. Economic and social
inequalities are only justified if
they benefit society
- all positions = to all
Rights and freedoms > the common good
An unjust law > no law
Individual liberty is restricted to ensure equality
Veil of ignorance = original position where individuals hide their identity and bias.
Describe Karl Marx’s ideal state.
The good = freedom and class conflicts hindering liberation
Liked communism as it would end man against man struggles of capitalism
Ideal
Freed of: worker exploitation and long work hours
What is communism?
Public ownership of property, classless society and equal distribution of goods.
What does the church think about communism?
Communism can lead to abuse by deriving individuals of the value of their work.
Church likes private property to combat this
Define capitalism.
Production and distribution is privately owned for profit under competitive conditions
What is the churches view on capitalism?
Capitalism can cause the abuse of workers to increase money.
Church likes unions to combat this.
What is Justice?
Getting what you deserve, whether punishment or reward.
What is commutative Justice?
INDIVIDUAL JUSTICE
Obligations individuals have in one to one relationships
Without this no other Justice can exist.
What is legal Justice?
Social Justice
Obligations individuals have towards their community or society as a whole
What is ecological/environmental Justice?
Obligations individuals have towards Gods greater creation (nature) as Stewards of the Earth.
What is distributive Justice?
Obligations that society has towards its members.
The role of governments, corporations, communities, and individuals in the just/fair distribution of resources.
Balance between individuals contribution and needs and what the community owes them.
What are the 4 types of distributive Justice?
- Thé good of citizenship
- Thé good of security and public assistance
- The economic good
- The good of offices and positions
What is the difference between sin of omission and commission?
Omission = sin of inaction.
We fail to get involved, speak up about the truth and defend the helpless.
Commission = sin of action
We fail to treat others as we would like to be treated
What is the difference between venial, serious and mortal sin?
Mortal = completely kills the relationship with God.
Only mortal if the action/omission is wrong, if the person knows it’s wrong and if full consent of the will is given.
Serious = could kill the relationship but instead rocks the relationship.
Full consent of the will is not given.
Venial = not yet fatal sin. Does not cut the heart of the relationship. A refusal to grow and a detour in the relationship.
What is the family life cycle?
Divides the family experiences I to stages over the life span and describes changes in family structure and rules.
List the stages of the family life cycle.
- Married couples
- no kids but prepares for them
- Childbearing families
- adjusting to the increased family
size, caring for infants and
providing a positive
development environment.
- adjusting to the increased family
- Families with preschool children
- satisfying the needs and
interests of preschool children - coping with the demands on
energy and attention with less
privacy at home.
- satisfying the needs and
- Families with school children
- promote educational
achievement and fitting in with
the community of families with
school aged children.
- promote educational
- Families with teenagers
- allowing and helping children to
become more independent,
coping with their independence
and developing new interests
beyond childcare.
- allowing and helping children to
- Families as launching Centers
- releasing young adults and
accepting new ways of relating
to them; maintaining a
supportive home base and
adapting new living
circumstances.
- releasing young adults and
- Middle age parents
- renewing and redefining the
marriage relationship
maintaining ties with children
and their families; preparing for
retirement.
- renewing and redefining the
- Aging family members
- adjusting to retirement, coping
with the death of the married
partner and life alone
- adjusting to retirement, coping
What are the 5 characteristics of a healthy family?
- Shared decision making
- Discussion
- No specific roles
- Esteem building
- You can go your own way
What are the characteristics of an unhealthy family?
- Authoritarian
- It has a one person focus
- There are specific rules
- Lacks esteem
- Stay with and be like us.
What is a controversial issue?
An issue that often results in a dispute or disagreement due to a strong difference of opinion.
What is capital punishment?
Feeds the cycle of violence by pandering to a list for revenge.
Deadens our sensitivities to the precious nature of every single humans life.
What does the church think about capital punishment?
If no other means besides lethal measures it’s okay.
If other, non lethal, measures exist then it is not okay.
