Facts, Values, and Ethical Reasoning

Question 1

What are facts?

Answer 1

Facts are claims about the world that have been, or can in principle be, verified by empirical methods.

Question 2

What are thick concepts?

Answer 2

Claims that have both factual and evaluative content. E.g. the doctor was intimidating, the president is straight-talking.

Question 3

Define consequentialism.

Answer 3

Of all the things a person might do at any given moment, the morally right action is the one with the best overall consequences.

Question 4

How might Utilitarianism define what is the right thing to do at any given moment?

Answer 4

The right thing to do at any given moment is that which maximises pleasure and minimises pain/suffering.

Question 5

What would virtue ethics say would be the right thing to do in any given situation?

Answer 5

A right act is the action a virtuous person would do in the same circumstances.