LIBS 7002 Flashcards
What is an example of the categorical imperative formulation 1 or version 1?
You are hungry, but you forgot your wallet in your house. You see a stand with a muffin on it, and you really want to eat this muffin. You can steal this muffin if you choose to because the seller is distracted talking to someone else. If you approve of the maxim (a rule or principle of action) of stealing, then you are universalizing that action. You are saying that everyone should always steal when they become hungry. If that is the case, then everyone should be able to steal whenever they are hungry. This leads to a contradiction. No one would say that people should steal whenever they are hungry because if everyone is allowed to steal from each other whenever they do get hungry, chaos will arise. This is bad, therefore, stealing is not universalizable.
Kant believes that it is not fair to make exceptions for yourself.
How does one test a contradiction (regarding stealing)?
You don’t really think stealing is okay. By imagining what it would be like to universalize it, it becomes clear that stealing is never okay.
What is consequentialism?
Consequentialism is an ethical theory asserting that what makes an action right or wrong is not the action itself but the outcome of the action. (This is the opposite of deontology.)
What is deontology?
Deontology is an ethical theory asserting that actions are right or wrong regardless of their consequences. (This is the opposite of consequentialism.)
How can the universalizability principle be counterintuitive?
According to Immanuel Kant, a person cannot lie. This would mean that if a murderer knocks on your door and asks for your friend, so he could kill your friend, if your friend is in your house, you would tell the murderer that your friend is in the house.
Give two examples of deontology.
Example #1: My neighbor brings a treat for my dog. After my dog ate the treat, he became sick and had to stay in the vet for a week. In this example, my neighbor had good intentions but ended with bad consequences. This is a good action with a bad consequence which is morally good in deontology. (Opposite for consequentialism)
Example #2: My neighbour hates me so much that he sprayed my garden with chemicals, to poison my dog who stays in the garden most of the time. The dog ended up staying in the house for a few days because of the rain. As a result, the garden is now insect-free because of the chemicals sprayed by the neighbor. In this example, my neighbor had bad intentions but brought good consequences. It is a bad action with good consequence which is morally bad. (Opposite for consequentialism)
What is utilitarianism?
Utilitarianism is a hedonistic, other-regarding, consequentialist moral theory that treats intentions as irrelevant, advocates good consequences of actions that foster happiness or pleasure, and opposes bad consequences of actions that cause sadness or pain, then maximizes these good consequences and minimizes these bad consequences (Classical or Act Utilitarianism). It also advocates the principle of utility, in which people should always act to produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people, where everyone’s pleasure and pain are to be considered and counted equally.
What is ethical egoism?
Ethical egoism is a normative moral theory in which people solely pursue their self-interest, and identify whatever benefits them as morally good and whatever detriments them as morally bad while maximizing their benefits and minimizing their pain.
What are hypothetical imperatives?
Hypothetical imperatives are moral commands that are conditional on personal desire or motive.
What are categorical imperatives?
Categorical imperatives are commands and moral obligations derived from pure reason that must be followed regardless of personal desires and motives; they are an exceptional rule that is binding on all people. These formulate the universalizability principle, which states that we can “act only according to that maxim (a rule or a principle of action) which [we] can [simultaneously] will that it should become a universal law (something that must always be done in similar situations) without contradictions.”
What is a magistrate?
A magistrate is a person in-charge of maintaining social order, enforcing the law, and conducting investigations who handles criminal and civil trials.
What is a moral dilemma?
A moral dilemma is a conflict of morals where a person is forced to choose between two or more options and that person has a moral reason to choose and not choose each option.
What is a common sense morality
A common sense morality is when we think we should look after ourselves, but also help others or at least avoid hurting them indiscriminately to help ourselves.
What are the aspects of ethical egoism?
- one should prioritize one’s own interests and well-being over the interests and well-being of others
- one has no moral duty except to do what is best for oneself
- one might be obligated to help others but only as a means to one’s long-term self-interest
- helping others is right only if it gives the helper an advantage
What are the three arguments against egoism?
- EE does not resolve moral conflicts,
- EE is self-contradictory because it gives inconsistent advice,
- EE is unacceptably arbitrary (me vs. everyone else).
