Prejudice, Discrimination, and freedom

Question 1

What is prejudice?

Answer 1

It is holding a belief which is biased against a certain group of people based on little or no evidence.

Question 2

What is prejudice based on?

Answer 2

It is often based on stereotypes.

Question 3

What is discrimination?

Answer 3

The unfavourable treatment of a person or group.

Question 4

What are prejudices caused by?

Answer 4

• threat
• fear
• ideology

Question 5

What is an example of fear?

Answer 5

Irrational fear of behaviours that differ from one’s own culture, customs, race, gender, sexuality

Question 5

What is an example of threat?

Answer 5

Feeling that the loss of jobs is caused by outsiders.

Question 6

What is an example of ideology?

Answer 6

Thinking that only one’s own political, philosophical or religious view is right.

Question 7

What did the Stephen Lawrence case reveal?

Answer 7

How even the police investigating a racially motivated murder were racially prejudiced.

Question 8

What can prejudice and discrimination lead to?

Answer 8

Many social problems such as:
- violence and harassment
- unfair employment and earnings
- poor housing and living conditions
- inferior education

Question 9

What is institutionalised discrimination?

Answer 9

It occurs when individuals are unknowingly biased against a certain group because of the way society or an institution (such as the police, the army, a school) has conditioned them to think.

Question 10

What was the Macpherson report?

Answer 10

An important report on racism which highlighted the problem of unconscious prejudice and discrimination in many areas of public institutions.

Question 11

What did JS Mill argue?

Answer 11

That freedom is a basic human necessity to live a happy life; he called this necessity the liberty principle.

Question 12

What is the only reason why liberty may be interfered with?

Answer 12

Is harm to others and harm to oneself.

Question 13

What has the liberty principle led to?

Answer 13

More tolerant societies.

Question 14

What are freedoms supported and protected by?

Answer 14

Human rights

Question 15

What does the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) state?

Answer 15

That ‘All humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights.’

Question 16

What do rights imply?

Answer 16

Duties, to respect the rights and freedoms of others.

Question 17

What is freedom of speech the basis for?

Answer 17

Modern democracy

Question 18

What is slander?

Answer 18

Speaking untruths about someone in public.

Question 19

What is libel?

Answer 19

Writing and publishing untruths about someone.

Question 20

What is freedom of expression?

Answer 20

It includes expressing one’s views through actions.

Question 21

What does political freedom of action include?

Answer 21

Holding meetings, conducting marches, protesting.

Question 22

What do interventions reduce?

Answer 22

Someone’s actions in their best interests.

Question 23

Why would carers use interventions?

Answer 23

To limit the freedoms of those with disabilities (physical and mental) for their own good.

Question 24

What is freedom of belief referred to?

Answer 24

Intellectual freedom

Question 25

What does freedom of belief include?

Answer 25

Being free to hold a variety of religious, political and moral beliefs.

Question 26

What is a central moral issue?

Answer 26

Where to set the limits of free speech.

Question 27

What is the liberty principle against?

Answer 27

Censorship unless it is for the greater good. For example, the press might not be allowed to publish information if it is against the national interest.

Question 28

What would happen if there was no freedom to perform political actions?

Answer 28

It would be a form of imprisonment and might lead to a police state.

Question 29

What does limiting freedom of action pose?

Answer 29

The problem of who decides what is in the best interests of someone and when this justifies an intervention.

Question 30

Why is freedom of belief important in a multicultural society?

Answer 30

Because it leads to a greater variety of ideas.

Question 31

What does freedom of belief lead to?

Answer 31

Healthy political debates and intellectual discussions at schools and universities.

Question 32

What might restrictions on freedom of belief be to?

Answer 32

• To make it illegal for someone to express sexually or racially offensive ideas by punishing them
• States that it is unprofessional for teachers to express their political views to their pupils

Question 33

What might the marginalised include?

Answer 33

• People who do not contribute to society (e.g. the poor, drug/alcohol abusers)
• Those whom society marginalises because of prejudice, for example disabled people, women, immigrants, ethnic minorities.

Question 34

What is an important moral aim?

Answer 34

To shift attitudes to the marginalised and change their status in society.

Question 35

How may changing attitudes come about?

Answer 35

Through conscious direct action by positive action and affirmative action.

Question 36

What is positive action?

Answer 36

Acting in favour of a marginalised group over the non-marginalised.

Question 37

What is affirmative action?

Answer 37

Combating the conditions that have caused a group to be marginalised through legislation.

Question 38

What is the moral problem with positive and affirmative action?

Answer 38

That it could be thought to be unfair to the non-marginalised and cause resentment.

Question 39

What would the marginalised not want?

Answer 39

Special treatment through positive action.