Indigenous, Consequentialist, and Non-Consequentialist Ethics

Question 1

Indigenous Philosophy

Answer 1

Centered around ‘oneness’. The people are connected to the land, as well as each other. The land is law, and you are never alone.
Custodian ethics/non-ownership.

Question 2

Consequentialism:

Answer 2

Morality concerned about consequences.

Question 3

Non-consequentialism:

Answer 3

Morality unconcerned about consequences.

Question 4

Ethical Egoism:

Answer 4

People ought to pursue their own self-interest.

Question 5

Individual Ethical Egoism:

Answer 5

Everyone ought to act in my best self-interest.

Question 6

Personal Ethical Egoism:

Answer 6

I ought to act in my own self-interest.

Question 7

Universal Ethical Egoism:

Answer 7

Everyone should act in their own best interest, and should not consider the interest of others.

Question 8

Critiques of Ethical Egoism:

Answer 8

• Apply to one individual and cannot be generalised to humanity as a whole (except universal ethical egoism).
• Inconsistency: whose self-interest should be satisfied?
• What is meant by ‘everyone’?
• People may join a profession for their own self-interest, but the occupations are specifically designed to cater for the interest of others.

Question 9

Utilitarianism:

Answer 9

Everyone should act or follow the moral rule which will bring about the greatest good (or happiness) for everyone involved.

Question 10

Act Utilitarianism:

Answer 10

Everyone should act in a way that brings the greatest good for those affected by that act.

Question 11

Critiques of Act Utilitarianism:

Answer 11

• Hard to tell what will produce good consequences.
• Hard to quantify and compare consequences.
• ‘Greatest good’ benefits the majority, and may disadvantage the minority.
• Do the ends justify the means?
• Without guidelines, how are the uninitiated to know how to act morally?

Question 12

Rule Utilitarianism:

Answer 12

Everyone should follow the rule(s) that bring about the greatest number of good consequences for those concerned.

Question 13

Critiques of Rule Utilitarianism:

Answer 13

• Hard to tell what rule would produce good consequences.
• Sometimes rules require exceptions which hinder it from running efficiently.
• Difficulties applying rules to varied populations.
• Do the ends justify the means?

Question 14

Intuitionism:

Answer 14

Trusting instincts to make moral decisions.

Question 15

Intuitionism Critiques:

Answer 15

• How do we know what we feel will be morally correct?
• How do we know we have enough information to make a moral decision?
• How do we know we are doing the best thing?
• How can we rely on feeling to make moral judgements?

Question 16

Rule non-consequentialist theories:

Answer 16

Assumes that there are or can be rules that are the only basis for morality. So the consequences actually do not matter- the morality is in following the rules.

• Divine command theory.
• Kant’s Duty Ethics.
• Ross’ Prima Facie Duties.

Question 17

Divine Command Theory:

Answer 17

*People are good if they obey the commands given to them by the divine being they follow, regardless of the consequences of that action.

Question 18

Critiques of Divine Command Theory:

Answer 18

• No rational foundation for the existence of a supernatural being.
• If a divine being exists, how could we prove that it is morally trustworthy?
• Can humans interpret the command of divine beings?

Question 19

Kant’s Duty Ethics:

Answer 19

• There are absolute ethical rules devised by reasoning alone. They must be logically consistent and must be universalisable. When moral laws are established as absolutes, they must be followed by all people out of duty.
• Categorical imperative: if a rule cannot be followed by all people, the act that is authorized by this rule is immoral.
• Practical imperative: no human should be used by another for the gains of that other. Each human is a unique end in their self.

Question 20

Critiques of Kant’s Duty Ethics:

Answer 20

• How do you resolve conflicts between equally absolute rules?
• Arguably some rules can be universalized without inconsistency, but could have unsavoury moral value.

Question 21

Ross’ Prima Facie Duties:

Answer 21

Non-absolute rules that should be followed unless there are extenuating reasons why someone can’t.

*Fidelity, reparation, gratitude, justice, beneficence, self improvement, non-maleficence.

Question 22

Critiques of Ross’ Prima Facie Duties:

Answer 22

• How do we decide what duties are ‘stronger’?

* How do we decide what duties are prima facie?