Religion and Morality - Key Terms and Definitions Flashcards
absolute morality
What is morally right and wrong applies to all circumstances, at all times.
absolute poverty
Not having the minimum income level required for the necessities of life, eg food,
shelter, clothing.
abuse
Misuse of the world and the environment.
active euthanasia
The ending of a life by a deliberate action, such as by giving a patient a fatal injection.
addictive
Causing a physical or mental dependency on a substance that is very difficult to
overcome.
adoption
The legal process where a person (child) is taken (adopted) into the family as a son or
daughter.
adultery
Sex outside marriage where one or both of the couple are already married to someone
else.
ageism
Prejudice and discrimination against the elderly.
agnostic
A person who believes it is not possible to be sure whether God exists or not.
alcohol
An addictive social drug found in beer, wine and spirits, etc.
anabolic steroids
A drug that helps to build muscle.
apathy
A person who has no interest in doing anything.
artha
Economic development – the second aim of life.
artificial insemination
Sperm medically inserted into the vagina to assist pregnancy.
artificial insemination by
donor (AID)
When a woman is made pregnant by the sperm of a man other than her partner, but not
through having sexual relations with him.
artificial insemination by
husband (AIH)
When a woman is made pregnant by the sperm of her husband, but not through having
sexual relations with him.
ASBO
Antisocial Behaviour Order. An order issued by a magistrate aimed at preventing an individual from being in certain
places at certain times.
average life expectancy
The average age at which people die.
bereaved
People who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
Blasphemy
Talk or behaviour that insults God or the gods.
Blastocyst
Fertilised ovum at about 5 – 7 days.
blood transfusion
When a patient is given extra blood as part of an operation.
caffeine
A mild legal stimulant found in coffee, chocolate, etc.
CAFOD
Catholic Fund for Overseas Development – a private charity established by the Bishops
of England and Wales to bring aid to less economically developed countries.
cannabis
A class B drug which is usually smoked which some wish to be legalised.
capital punishment
Form of punishment in which a prisoner is put to death for crimes committed. The death
penalty.
care home
A home for the elderly who are ill and need specialist medical treatment.
celibacy
- Not having sex.
2. Decision to remain unmarried or refrain from having sex for religious reasons.
charity
- Giving to the needy.
2. An organisation that does not work for profit and which usually works to help others.
cloning
The scientific method by which animals or plants can be created which have exactly the
same genetic make up as the original, because the DNA of the original is used.
cold turkey
Process of trying to beat addiction just by stopping taking drugs.
community
A group within which a person lives and acts, eg a religious community.
community service
A form of punishment in which the criminal has to perform tasks useful to society, rather
than going to prison.
compassion
A feeling of sympathy that makes one want to help.
conception
The moment the sperm fertilises the egg.
conscience
The inner feeling you are doing right or wrong.
corporate responsibility
A community or society takes responsibility for the care of the people within it.
crime against the person
Wrongdoing that directly harms a person, eg murder, assault.
crime against the state
An offence aimed at damaging the government or a country, eg treason.
crime against property
Damaging items that belong to somebody else, eg vandalism.
Day of Resurrection
Day when the dead will return to life.
death
The end of life which can be determined in several ways but normally when the brain
stops functioning.
debt
Situation where a person or organisation owes more money than they possess.
dependency
Reliance on somebody or something else.
designer babies
Babies with gender and characteristics chosen by their parents, which is currently
illegal.
deterrence
To put people off committing crimes. One of the aims of punishment.
discipline
Having self control.
drug
A substance, which when taken, affects the body or mind.
drug abuse
Using drugs in a way which harms the user.
drug classification
There are three legal categories by which illegal drugs are classified in British law
according to the level of harm they do and how addictive they are.
early release
When a prisoner is allowed out of prison even though they have not completed their
sentence, or fulfilled the criteria for getting parole.
economically developed
country (EDC)
A rich country where people enjoy a comfortable standard of living.
ecstasy
A class A recreational drug.
electronic tagging
An offender has to wear an electronic device which tracks their movement to ensure
restrictions of movement are observed.
embryo
Fertilised ovum at about 12 – 14 days when implanted into the wall of the womb.
embryology
The study of human embryos.
emergency aid
Also known as short term aid. Help given to communities in a time of disaster or crisis,
eg food during a famine, shelter after an earthquake
ensoulment
The belief that at one moment the foetus receives a soul (some believe it doesn’t).
ethnic cleansing
Killing or expelling a certain group or race from a country or region.
the Environment
A modern term for the parts of the Earth upon which towns, cities, etc have not been
built.
eternal life
Everlasting life after death.
ethics
The theory relating to morality. The study of right and wrong’ – morality isn’t much
easier than ethics on its own?
euthanasia
Inducing a painless death, by agreement and with compassion, to ease suffering. From
the Greek meaning “good death”.
excessive salary
Also known as ‘fat cat’ who earns a large amount of money in salary and possibly
bonuses and share options.
exploitation
Poor people, often in LEDCs are paid low wages in order that the employer can make
large profits.
extended family
All members of a family, including grandparents, cousins, etc.
fairtrade
A method of trade in which the producer of the product receives a fair payment for his/
her product, eg Fair trade bananas.
fertility treatment
Medical procedure to assist an infertile couple to have a child.
fine
A form of punishment in which an offender pays a sum of money.
foetus
Fertilised ovum from eight weeks.
forgiveness
Showing grace and mercy and pardoning someone for what they have done wrong.
fostering
The taking of a child from a different family into a family home and bringing them up
with the rest of the new family.
fines
A punishment whereby a minor offender has to make a payment to the court.
free will
Having the ability to choose or determine one’s own actions.
gambling
Take risks with money in the hope of making better gains, eg by betting or doing the
Lotto.
generation gap
A difference between the views of young people and their parents.
genetic modification
Plants and animals that have had their natural make-up altered by scientists.
free will
Having the ability to choose or determine one’s own actions.
gambling
Take risks with money in the hope of making better gains, eg by betting or doing the
Lotto.
generation gap
A difference between the views of young people and their parents.
genetic modification
Plants and animals that have had their natural make-up altered by scientists.
global interdependence
The state where different countries in the world are dependent upon each other for
trade and survival.
Golden Rule
‘To love your neighbour as yourself’.
gross national income
a measure of a country’s wealth which is worked out by dividing the income of the
country by the number of people who live in it.
hard drugs
Drugs which lead to dependency and cause severe harm to the body.
heaven
A state of being with God after death.
hell
A state of being without God (or with the Devil) after death.
heroin
A highly addictive class A drug.
hippocratic oath
An oath doctors used to swear before practising as a doctor.
homelessness
Not having a place to live.
hospices
Special places to which people go to die with dignity.
housing benefit
A state benefit in which the poor receive help to pay some or all of their rent.
human experimentation
Testing products, usually medicines on paid human volunteers.
human genetic
engineering
The modification of gene make-up to change the features of a human.
human rights
The things that all humans should be allowed to have in order to live a fulfilled life.
human-animal hybrid
embryo
An embryo made from human DNA and animal eggs for purposes of experimentation.
illegal drugs
Drugs which are illegal to possess, sell or use, put into three classifi cations according to
their potential harm and addictiveness
imprisonment
When a person is put in jail for committing a crime.
individual responsibility
A person who takes responsibility for themselves.
Indolence
A deliberate choice to be lazy and over-indulgent.
Inherited wealth
Wealth which a person has not earned, but which has been left to them from a family
member who has died.
in vitro fertilisation (IVF)
A procedure in which eggs are removed from a woman’s ovaries and fertilised with
sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg is then replaced into the women’s uterus.
infant mortality rate
The rate at which small children die.
inheritance
When a friend or family member leaves you money or property in their will when they
die.
involuntary euthanasia
When a patient’s life is ended because it is felt that, to keep them alive is to make them
suffer, but the patient has not given their consent to the decision.
justice
Bringing about what is right and fair according to the law, or making up for what has
been done wrong.
laziness
Situation where somebody refuses to work because they can’t be bothered to.
LEDC
Less Economically Developed Country – a country where many people are poor.
legal drugs
Drugs that can be purchased legally. Some have age restrictions.
life imprisonment
A prison sentence that (theoretically) keeps people in jail until they die.
life support machine
A machine that keeps people alive when they would otherwise die.
liturgical worship
A church service which follows a set structure or ritual.
long term aid
Helping needy people to help themselves by providing the tools, education and funding
for projects. This type of aid is given by Christian Aid, Tearfund, CAFOD and Trocaire to
the poor overseas.
materialism
Belief in the importance of personal possessions.
medical technologies
The increase use of technology to assist healing.
medically prescribed drugs
Drugs prescribed by a doctor as part of medical treatment.
mercy killing
Term sometimes used for euthanasia.
minimum wage
The national minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate that it is legal for an employer to
pay to employees or workers.
moral absolute
Ethical statement that is right at all times and in all circumstances.
Morality
A system of ethics, about what is right or wrong.
moral truth
That something is “correct” – this is based upon abstract reasoning.
mourning
State of sadness over the death of a loved one.
National Lottery (Lotto)
Regular gambling competition, available to all over-16s and which offers large prizes,
but also gives money to charity. ‘Lotto’ is now its official name.
natural disasters
Disasters caused by nature, eg earthquakes, volcanoes.
natural resources
Resources that are part of the environment, eg water, minerals, and which are used
and often abused by humans.
nicotine
The addictive drug contained in tobacco.
non-medical use of
drugs
The taking of drugs for reasons other than because of medical need.
nuclear family
Traditionally a family comprising of the mother, the father and their own children
offender
Someone who has done wrong, eg broken the law.
parental involvement
The extent of the role parents have in the lives of their children.
parole
When a prisoner is released without having completed their sentence, because they
have behaved well and accepted their guilt. The prisoner is monitored to try to ensure
that they do not re-offend.
passive euthanasia
Allowing a terminally or incurably ill person to die by withdrawing or withholding medical
treatment that would only prolong the suffering and have no real benefit.
pastoral support
Help received from religious leaders in personal matters.
peer pressure
Influence exerted by friends on each other.
poverty
Condition of being without money, food and other basic needs of life (being poor).
poverty trap
Not being able to break out of poverty.
pre-existence
Belief that some part of ourselves existed before we were conceived for this life.
prescription drugs
Drugs legally obtained only with a doctor’s consent.
primitive streak
Fertilised ovum at about 14 days when the backbone begins to appear.
prison
A secure unit to which offenders are sentenced to remove their freedom.
prison reform
A movement that tries to ensure offenders are treated humanely in prison.
probation
An alternative to prison where an offender has to meet regularly with a probation officer
to ensure that they do not re-offend. Movement may be restricted.
property crime
A category of crime that affects peoples’ property, eg arson, burglary, theft, shoplifting
and vandalism.
protection
To stop the criminal hurting anyone in society. An aim of punishment.
punishment
That which is done to a person because they have broken a law.
purgatory
A time of spiritual cleansing and preparation for Heaven.
quality of life
A measure of fulfilment.
rebirth
Continuing life in another form.
recreational drugs
Drugs taken by people for fun.
reform
To change someone’s behaviour for the better. An aim of punishment.
rehabilitation (rehab)
The process by which addicts are helped to defeat their addiction to drugs.
reincarnation
Being reborn again in another form.
relative morality
What is morally right or wrong in any situation depends upon its particular
circumstances.
religious offence
An offence against religion, eg blasphemy, sacrilege.
religious principles
Living by the ethics laid out by a believer’s religion.
religious traditions
Either the principal world faiths or the major Christian traditions (denominations).
reparation
An aim of punishment designed to help an offender to put something back into society.
repentance
Being truly sorry and trying to change one’s behaviour so as not to do the same again.
residential home
A large building with individual rooms for the elderly. Meals and a communal room for
socialising are provided.
retribution
To ‘get your own back’ on the criminal, based on the Old Testament teaching of ‘an
eye for an eye’. An aim of punishment aimed at being proportionate to the offence
committed.
sanctity of life
Life is sacred because it is God-given.
saviour siblings
A child conceived by IVF with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to save the life of an
incurably ill sibling through the use of the cord blood.
secular organisation
An organisation that is based on non-religious principles.
self determination
Refers to the right to make decisions for oneself in life. It is an argument use by those
who agree with voluntary euthanasia.
sexual intercourse
Sexual activity involving more than one person, for reasons of procreation or pleasure.
sheltered housing
A complex of small flats adapted for the elderly with a warden in case of emergency.
sin
The breaking of a religious or moral law.
social environment
The background in which a person lives.
social drugs
Legal drugs which are still addictive, such as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, etc.
soft drugs
Illegal drugs that are not believed by the users to lead to dependency or serious side-effects.
solvents
Some aerosols, glue and gas lighter refills abused by sniffing, which can cause
hallucinations and can be fatal.
sources of moral
authority
Where and how believers derive authority for their actions (through scripture, tradition,
reason, conscience, religious leaders, etc.).
spirituality
A sense of something which is outside normal human experience.
stem cell
A cell, most often taken from a 4 – 5 day old embryo (blastocyst), whose role in the body
is yet to be determined.
stewardship
The idea that believers have a duty to look after the environment on behalf of God.
suffering
Pain or distress.
surrogacy
A form of fertility treatment in which a woman’s egg is fertilised artificially by another
woman’s partner or an embryo from another couple is created through IVF and then
implanted into the ‘host’ woman. The woman carries the baby throughout pregnancy
and gives it to the other couple after birth.
surrogate mother
A woman who has a baby for another woman.
sustainable development
Development which takes into consideration the impact on the natural world for future
generations.
teetotal
Name given to people who choose not to drink alcohol.
test-tube baby
Term used for a baby created outside of the woman’s body.
tobacco
Used in cigarettes and cigars, it contains nicotine, an addictive social drug.
transplant surgery
When someone else’s organs are put into a patient.
unemployment
Being out of work with no job.
unfair trade
Trade where the producers are exploited by the buyers.
value of life
The value of a person over and above physical value.
viability
The point at which a foetus could survive if it were to be born.
vindication
An aim of punishment that means offenders must be punished to show that the law
must be respected and is right.
voluntary euthanasia
A terminally ill person asks a doctor or a friend to help them die peacefully and with
dignity. It can be called ‘mercy killing’ or ‘assisted suicide’.
voluntary service
A person chooses to work with the poor without being paid.
wealth
A large amount of money or investments.
world trade
Different countries buying and selling goods from each other.
world poverty
The idea that the majority of the world’s population actually live in conditions of extreme
need or hardship.
zygote
A newly fertilised ovum.
