Nine Ethical Theories Flashcards
What is Subjective Relativism?
Each person decides right and wrong for him/herself
What is Cultural Relativism?
What is right and what is wrong depends on the society’s actual moral guidelines
What is Divine Command Theory
Good and bad actions are aligned with God’s will.
What is Ethical Egoism?
That action that will benefit his/her with maximum long-term benefit.
What is Kantianism?
rational beings have dignity and should be respected.
It is wrong to use another person solely as a means to an end.
What is Act Utilitarianism?
An action is good if its benefits exceeds its harm.
Happiness = advantages = benefit = good = pleasure
Unhappiness = disadvantages = cost = evil = pain
What is Rule Utilitarianism?
Moral values that if followed by everyone, will lead to the greatest increase in total happiness.
What is Social Contract Theory?
the view that persons’ moral and/or political obligations are dependent upon a contract or agreement among them to form the society in which they live.
What is Virtue Ethics?
person rather than action based: it looks at the virtue or moral character of the person carrying out an action, rather than at ethical duties and rules, or the consequences of particular actions.
