History of Ethics and Bioethics Flashcards
concerned with relations between people and how they can live in peace and harmony
morality
Aims to protect cherished values or “good”
morality
– for individual/ for community (quality life), property, liberty, or idea
good
Makes things go better and gives more meaning to life
morality
Also pertains to the beliefs of the individual or groups as to what is right or wrong
morality
May differ from society to society or culture to culture
morality
Expressed in the form of general rules and statements
morality
Usually consistent but sometimes can change if the individual’s belief change
morality
Transcends cultural norms
morality
systematic reflection on and analysis of morality
ethics
A fundamental part of the life of everyone in society
ethics
Can be applied to everyday problems among individuals, in institutions, and in society
ethics
Guiding principles which helps the individual or group to decide what is right or wrong
ethics
Generally uniform and abstract
ethics
Governed by professional and legal guidelines within a particular time and place
ethics
- Major areas/tools of ethical analysis (2)
metaethical considerations
normative ethical considerations
tries to discover reasons given for making a moral judgement about the moral life
metaethical considerations
Geared to thinking about our reasons for defending particular position
metaethical considerations
Requirement: awareness of own beliefs, imagination to influence right/wrong
metaethical considerations
ask more concrete questions related to morality
normative ethical considerations
What types of acts are morally right or wrong?
What types of values are morally good or bad?
what ethical analysis
normative ethical considerations
types of metaethical
absolutism
relativism
rest on the notion that what is right based on knowledge that can be known to be truth
absolutism
Moral sources can be religious beliefs, natural laws, intuition
absolutism
Asserts that there are certain universal moral principles by which all people’s action may be judged
absolutism
rest on the assumption that ethical statements are not known to be ultimately true or false
relativism
Moral sources are usually from cultural source and societal source
relativism
Believes that there is no universal or absolute set of moral principles
relativism
theories of normative ethics (2)
deontological theory
teological theory
Greek deonto means
duty
Relies on duties, rights or other means of acting, MEANS theories
deontological theory
– Greek telos means
end
Relies on ends or consequences to determine when one is acting rightly or wrongly
Ends theories
teological theory
holds that one is acting rightly when one acts according to one’s duties and rights
deontological theory
Therefore, duties and rights are the correct means to use in evaluating a course of action
what theory
deontological theory
Simple to apply; just requires that people follow the rules and do their duty
deontological theory
Avoids subjectivity and uncertainty because you only have to follow set rules
deontological theory
Identified with the writings of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
deontological theory
he held every person has an inherent dignity and on that basis alone is entitled to respect
Immanuel Kant
He thought that duties and rights of individuals help to distinguish how their respect can be honored
Immanuel Kent
It follows that the right thing is always to be guided by moral duties, responsibilities
deontological theory
He concluded that some actions are intrinsically immoral, no matter how positive and beneficial one might judge the consequences to be; and other actions are intrinsically moral, no matter how negative the consequences might be
Immanuel Kent
In other words, one can’t judge the moral rightness or wrongness of an act on the basis of its consequence alone
deontological theory
is shown by never using people to achieve other goals or consequences
respect
concerned with consequences based on the concept of utilitarianism
teological theory
Holds the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number
teleological theory
The only moral framework that can justify the use of military forces or war
teleological theory
Also the most common approach to moral reasoning used in business
teleological theory