Philo and ethics Flashcards
A principle in Ethics stating that an action with both good and bad effects can be morally permissible if the bad effect is not intended
Doctrine of Double effect
Aristotle’s concept that virtue is a balance between two extremes of excess and deficiency
Doctrine of the mean
Unconditional, selfless love, often used in Christian ethics to describe divine love
Agape
An ethical perspective focused on the moral character and intentions of the individual making decisions
Agent Centred
A concept in egoism meaning ‘owneness’ or self-ownership
Eighenheit
The belief that moral laws are not necessary and that individuals should act based on personal judgement or faith
Antinomialism
Things that seem good but do not contribute to true human flourishing
Apparent good
The two problems with divine command theory according to the Euthyphro dilemma
1) the implication that there is something greater than God that decides what good is
2) That good is arbitrary
Greek for ‘Virtue’ or ‘Excellence’, used in virtue ethics to denote a trait that leads to a good life
Arete
The teaching of Jesus in the sermon on the mount that describe the values and attitudes of the blessed
Beatitudes
The goal in natural law- the ultimate direct communication of God with the individual soul in Christian Theology
Beatific vision
Fletchers term for working out how best to show love in a particular circumstance
Conscience
A situation in which a difficult choice must be made between two or more conflicting moral principles
Dilemma
Ethical Theory where law is believed to come directly from God, such as religious commandments
Divine command theory
German for unique, associated with Max Stirners philosophy of individualism
Einzig
An ethical perspective that does not prioritise the interests of any specific individual but applies universally
Agent Neutral
The divine wisdom that governs the universe, according to natural law theory
Eternal law
A Greek term for human flourishing or happiness, central to Aristotles ethics
Eudaimonia
In Natural law actions can be observed outwardly, regardless of the intent behind them
Exterior acts
An algorithm created by Jeremy Bentham to measure pleasure and pain in moral decision- making
Hedonic calculus
The ethical theory that pleasure is the highest good
Hedonism
In John Stuart Mills utilitarianism, intellectual and moral pleasures are called
Lower and higher pleasures
Laws created by humans to govern societies, distinguished from divine or natural law
Human law
The intentions and thoughts behind an action, rather than the outward action itself
Interior acts
