Phil quiz 2 (2) Flashcards
What is “arête”?
The Greek word arête is key to understanding ethics. It can mean both excellence (the skill or ability to do something well) and virtue (moral goodness).
Socrates examines arête to explore what makes an action morally good, unlike Achilles, who focuses on the skill of actions.
What is the challenge of ethics?
Socrates argues that many people are certain about what is virtuous without understanding what virtue truly means.
For example, defending friends and harming enemies may seem virtuous, but Socrates challenges this by questioning the moral value of such actions, highlighting the complexity of ethics.
What is virtue?
Virtue is abstract and tied to moral qualities that cannot be easily measured or understood.
For example, we can easily understand what it means to be “good at” something, but defining a “good” or “virtuous” life is more complex and elusive.
What is the dilemma of ethics and a good life?
The philosopher may want to engage in intellectual pursuits, but a sense of duty may pull them back to help others. This shows that a virtuous life is not always aligned with an aesthetically good life, and the assumption that they are the same may be mistaken.
What is deontology?
Deontology is an ethical theory that emphasizes the importance of following moral rules or duties rather than focusing on the consequences of actions.
According to deontological ethics, certain actions are morally required, forbidden, or permissible based on rules or principles, regardless of the outcomes.
Who is the most famous proponent of deontology?
The most famous proponent of deontology is Immanuel Kant, who argued that actions are morally right if they are done in accordance with a universal moral law, which he called the categorical imperative. This law states that people should act only in ways that could be universally applied, meaning the action should be one that everyone could do without contradiction.
For example, in deontological ethics, telling the truth is considered a duty, even if lying might lead to better outcomes. The focus is on moral duties and rules rather than the results of actions.
What is Aristotle’s standpoint related to deontology?
Aristotle’s standpoint on ethics differs from deontology in that he focused on the concept of virtue and the good life, rather than adhering strictly to rules or duties.
Aristotle’s approach is often referred to as virtue ethics, and it emphasizes developing good character traits that lead to moral actions, rather than following rigid moral laws.
What is moral relaism?
Moral realism is the philosophical view that moral facts and values exist independently of human beliefs, feelings, or perceptions.
According to moral realists, objective moral truths hold universally, regardless of individual or cultural opinions.
What are the key features of moral realism?
Objective Morality: Certain actions are morally right or wrong, independent of personal or cultural preferences. For example, “murder is wrong” is seen as an objective truth.
Moral Facts Exist Independently: Moral truths exist whether or not anyone recognizes them, similar to how physical facts exist independently of perception.
Moral Disagreement and Progress: Despite disagreements, there are objective moral truths.
Explain Kant and Aristotle as supporters of moral realism.
Kant and Aristotle as Moral Realists:
Kant: Believed in universal moral laws, expressed through the categorical imperative. Actions are morally right if they can be universally applied without contradiction, making moral duties objective and binding.
Aristotle : argued that objective moral truths exist based on human nature and flourishing. The “good life” is achieved through virtues grounded in human purpose and reason, making morality universal.
Naturalism by Aristotle?
As seen in Aristotle’s ethics, naturalism holds that morality comes from real-world experiences and human nature rather than from abstract principles.
Aristotle believed that the good life, or eudaimonia, is achieved through reason and living in accordance with virtues like courage, honesty, and generosity.
These virtues are shaped by society and cultural contexts, and ethical behaviour is developed through experience and education.
What is the naturalistic fallacy?
The Naturalistic Fallacy:
G.E. Moore argued that trying to define “good” as something that can be directly observed or measured is a fallacy—we cannot reduce ethical concepts to simple facts or attributes.
What are the 2 views of the debate on moral absolutes?
The debate on moral absolutes contrasts two views: other-worldly moral realism, which argues that objective moral truths exist independently of human experience, and this-worldly naturalism, which bases ethics on human psychology and cultural experience.
What is ethical egoism?
Ethical egoism is the belief that individuals should act in their own self-interest. It holds that the morally right action is the one that benefits the person making the decision, even if it doesn’t benefit others.
What is consequentialism?
Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges the morality of actions based on their outcomes or consequences. The central idea is that the right action is the one that produces the best results.
