Introduction to Ethics

Question 1

What is ethics?

What does it consider?

Answer 1

Ethics is based on universal principles and public debate concerning relations between people and power sharing in a moral community.

It considers:

• What is right and wrong
• What is good and bad behaviour
• Subjective judgement - there is unlikely to be an absolute right and wrong

Question 2

Name and describe the main branches of ethics

Answer 2

• Descriptive Ethics - empircally what’s right and wrong
• Normative ethics - concerned with how we ought to live and act
• Applied ethics - concerned with applying general normative theories of how we ought to live, act, or structure our societies to specific types of circumstances.
• Meta ethics - concerned with what justifies moral judgments - studies the nature of ethics

Question 3

What are the branches of Normative ethics?

Describe them.

Answer 3

• Virtue Ethics - ethical behaviour results from individuals having inherently good characteristics. However good virtues is different across the world
• Deontological approach/ethics based on duty - related to absolute moral rules. Kant suggests that some rules apply in all circumstances: categorical imperatives. This approach diestinguishes between people and objects.
• Teleological approach/ethics based on consequence

Question 4

Name & describe the main fields of Teleological ethics.

Answer 4

• Utilitarianism: what is right is that which maximises the benefit for the greatest number
• Egosim: what is best for oneself
• Pluralism: it’s possible to arrive at a concensus

Question 5

What is Absolutism and Relativism also known as?

What are they?

Answer 5

• Absolutism/cognitive approach: proposes that society adhere to a strict and unchanging code of beliefs
• Relativism/non-cognitive approach: states that it’s not possible to acquire objective knowledge of moral principles. Therefore all moral statements are subject and open to challenge/debate

Question 6

What are the pros and cons of absolutism?

Answer 6

+ everyone knows where they stand

• over time norms change
• acknowledged sources of law may differ
• interpretations of law can change
• some laws may contradict others

Question 7

What are the pros and cons of relativisim?

Answer 7

+ Acknowledges cultural diversity

+ can be mixed with absolutism

+ avoids moral conflicts between different groups in society

• will always result in contradictions/ethical dilemmas
• some suggest that it promotes a belief that anything is acceptable
• wholly subjective approach
• fudged solutions