Facts, Values, and Ethical Reasoning Flashcards
What are facts?
Facts are claims about the world that have been, or can in principle be, verified by empirical methods.
What are thick concepts?
Claims that have both factual and evaluative content. E.g. the doctor was intimidating, the president is straight-talking.
Define consequentialism.
Of all the things a person might do at any given moment, the morally right action is the one with the best overall consequences.
How might Utilitarianism define what is the right thing to do at any given moment?
The right thing to do at any given moment is that which maximises pleasure and minimises pain/suffering.
What would virtue ethics say would be the right thing to do in any given situation?
A right act is the action a virtuous person would do in the same circumstances.