Lecture 1

Question 0

Define ethics

Answer 0

discipline that provides language and guidelines for studying morality
Analyzing and resolving a moral dilemma

Question 1

Define Morality

Answer 1

what governs relationships between people - living in harmony
What is right/good or wrong/bad?

Question 2

Define values

Answer 2

what an individual holds dear

an individual basis for morality and motivation

Question 3

define duties

Answer 3

actions that are required of a person to play a part of civil society
Obligations

Question 4

define “rules”

Answer 4

regular ways of doing things AGREED UPON IN SOCIETY

Question 5

Define “socialization”.

Answer 5

how we learn common rules or norms

Question 6

What is at the crux of morality?

Answer 6

Regarding others as worthy of consideration and respect.

Question 7

Dogmatism

Answer 7

refusal to reflect on one’s beliefs or challenges to beliefs

Question 8

Describe Divine Command

Answer 8

Doing what God intends and commands = Good

Involves faith, sacred texts, prayer intuition, ritual, guides, etc

Question 9

What are common questions/problems with Divine Command?

Answer 9

Is something really wrong because God forbids it? Or does God forbid it because it is wrong?
Are non-believers unethical?
Which God of which religion?
How do we know what is commanded?
historically: science vs. faith

Question 10

Describe Virtue Ethics.

Answer 10

Goodness consists of habitual tendency to do good things
This leads to happiness (fulfillment and wellbeing)
Values vs. Vices (ex. generosity vs. selfishness)

Question 11

What are some major questions/problems with virtue ethics?

Answer 11

People can become obsessed with virtues –> idealized
Virtue is cultivated over time with growing discernment and is not just a given
A virtuous person can still make a poor, unethical choice

Question 12

Describe Kantian Ethics.

Answer 12

The moral worth of an action lies in its motivation
We should act out of DUTY, not self-interest
As moral beings, we have OBLIGATIONS toward each other
Treat people as persons, not things
Take responsibility for your actions
Different kinds of duties: absolute, prima facie, conditional

Question 13

What are some problems/questions associated with Kantian Ethics?

Answer 13

To whom do we have a duty?
What about conflicting duty? (think about diagnosis)
People can do wrong things with good intensions
enforced obligations, not undertaken freely, are not in the realm of ethical.

Question 14

Describe utilitarianism/consequentialism.

J. Bentham and JS Mill

Answer 14

an act is right if it brings about the best overall balance of benefits
pain and pleasures are weighed equally
Act- and Rule-utilitarianism

Question 15

Problems/Questions with utilitarianism/consequentialism.

Answer 15

how do you balance an individual’s happiness with justice for all?
are all forms of happiness really equal?
WE CANNOT PREDICT OUTCOMES
HAS BEEN USED TO JUSTIFY IMMORAL ACTS

Question 16

Describe contract ethics.

Answer 16

Human nature: fight for limited resources
CONTRACT for mutual benefit and cohabitation = civil society
burdens and benefits shared equally
“We want equal liberty, justice, non-discrimination, basic rights”

Question 17

Problems/questions with contract ethics.

Answer 17

Born into undeserved privileges or disadvantages.

We aren’t all equal.

Question 18

Care Ethics
“feminine ethics”
Carol Gilligan

Answer 18

Everyone needs love and care, beyond impersonal or detached theories.
Context is always involved (particulars, relationships, emotional attachment, etc.)

Question 19

Problems/questions with Care ethics.

Answer 19

some situations require impartiality

feminist criticism –> reinforcing injustice towards women and maintenance of social stereotypes

Question 20

Describe Moral Relativism.

Answer 20

Moral judgements are personal choice or reflect culture
THERE ARE NO OBJECTIVELY CORRECT MORAL BELIEFS
Al moral beliefs are equally worthy
PERSUASION
people disagree, therefore, relativism must be nature of ethics
moral judgments are faulty bc they can’t be proven

Question 21

Questions/problems with moral relativism.

Answer 21

is there genuine ethical disagreement or just interpretation differences?
does disagreement prove that there is no correct answer to a moral question?
Majority does not always rule (slavery, etc)
“Good reasons” for doing things in many fields…