Lecture 1

Question 1

Define ethics. How is it different from morals?

Answer 1

• Ethics is how people ought to act

Differs from morals = ethics is theory of greater good and right action => morals is them in practise

Question 2

Name the 4 types of ethical theories

Answer 2

utilitarianism,
duty ethics,
rights ethics,
virtue ethics

Question 3

Define utilitarianism and its limitations

Answer 3

• Morality of action determined only through assessment of consequences
• Actions are right to the degree they tend to promote greatest good for greatest number
• Originally by Bentham - actions that maximise pleasure and minimise pain
• Revised by Stuart John Mill - actions that maximse happiness and minimise suffering
• Limitations - difficult to choose using happiness vs suffering, doesn’t consider personal consequences

Question 4

Define duty ethics and its limitations

Answer 4

• Kant = action is moral duty if it is conducted for sake of duty, if its maxim can be willed as universal law, and is a respectful way to treat humanity
• By acting out of duty, person acts out of concern for what of morally right and not out of self serving motive
• Maxim – subjective rule a person has in mind when performing an action
• Respect – way a person treats other
• Law should apply equal to all – exceptions allowed if there are universal exceptions
• Limitations – emphasis on duty of sole motive of moral action could lead to moral alienation, person helps out of duty but does not care, doesn’t consider moral consequences

Question 5

Define rights ethics

Answer 5

Morality of action determined by the right, or permission to act, of a rights holder and imposes duty of a right holder whenever the rights holder and observer interact

Question 6

Define virtue ethics and its limitations

Answer 6

• Morality related to virtue, not action
• Aristotle – virtue is habit of the soul, involving both feeling and action, to seek the mean in all things relative to us
• Soul – persons fundamental character
• Mean – middle ground between excess and deficiency
• Virtue leads to happiness / human flourishing
• Limitations – neglects positive role of emotions and feelings, looks at highest common denominator i.e. only thing that makes us unique