Moral Philosophy P3 Flashcards
What is altruism?
Selflessness
Altruism refers to the selfless concern for the well-being of others.
What is egoism?
Selfishness
Egoism is the ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality.
What happens in the Ring of Gyges?
A shepherd finds a ring that turns him invisible. No longer fearing punishment, he kills the king and steals the kingdom.
The story illustrates the idea of moral behavior in the absence of accountability.
What does Glaucon take the Ring of Gyges to show?
We only act morally because we fear punishment
Glaucon uses this story to argue that morality is a social construct motivated by self-interest.
How does Brad Hooker try to disprove the view that we only act morally because it makes us feel good?
Most of us would prefer the welfare of our children even if it results in psychological torture for us.
This argument suggests that moral actions can be motivated by factors other than personal pleasure.
What does Immanuel Kant say about the honest shopkeeper?
His actions come from ‘a selfish purpose’
Kant argues that moral worth comes from duty rather than self-interest.
What does Jeremy Bentham believe about the importance of altruism?
It is irrelevant to an action’s moral worth.
Bentham’s utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of actions rather than the motives behind them.
Does Immanuel Kant believe it is possible for an action to be both moral and selfish?
No. Actions are only moral if they are done for the sake of duty.
Kant maintains that true moral actions must be motivated by a sense of duty, not self-interest.
Does Jeremy Bentham believe it is possible for an action to be both moral and selfish?
Yes, as long as the action has good consequences.
Bentham’s utilitarian perspective allows for the moral evaluation of actions based on outcomes.
What is moral relativism?
The view that morality is relative to your culture.
Moral relativism posits that ethical standards are culturally bound and not universally applicable.
What is moral realism?
The view that there are objective moral facts.
Moral realism asserts that some moral claims are true regardless of individual beliefs or cultural norms.
Give an argument for moral relativism.
If moral facts were objective, everyone would agree on them; if moral facts were objective, they would be scientifically provable.
This argument suggests that the diversity of moral beliefs indicates that morality is not objective.
Give an argument against moral relativism.
It assumes people belong to only one culture; it entails that cultures cannot be criticised.
Critics argue that moral relativism limits cross-cultural dialogue and ethical critique.
What is consequentialism?
The view that the morality of actions depends entirely on their consequences.
Consequentialism evaluates the ethical value of actions based on the outcomes they produce.
