Secular Ethics Flashcards
What do Ethical Theories attempt to do?
Provide a systematic approach to answer the fundamental ethical question
“how should human beings live their lives?”
What are the Consequentialist Ethical Theories?
Utilitarianism
Egoism
Hedonism
What are the Non Consequentialist Ethical Theories?
Deontological Ethics
Virtue Ethics
What is Consequentialism?
The morality of an action very much considers the consequences and outcomes of said action
What is Non Consequentialism?
The morality of an action does not depend on the goodness or badness of the consequences or outcomes.
What are the Three General Categories of reasons which guide ethical decision making?
Consequences
-Utilitarianism, egoism, psychological egoism, hedonism
Principles or Rights
-Deontological Ethics, Kant
Personal Character
-Virtue Ethics, Aristotle
What is Utilitarianism?
A morally right action produces the greatest good for the greatest number
What is Egoism?
A morally right action if it promotes the agent’s long term best self-interest
No moral duty to help others
What is Psychological Egoism?
Humans are selfish by nature
All actions are selfishly motivated
What is Hedonism?
A morally right action promotes greatest amount of pleasure and avoidance of pain
What is the dominant Ethical Theory today?
Hedonism
What is Kant’s Categorical Imperative?
1) Respect the dignity of each individual human being
2) Act according to those rules that could be universally accepted by all people
3) Treat each person as an ends in themselves; never only as a means to our ends
What questions does a Virtue Ethicist ask?
What kind of person will I become if I do this?
What actions will lead me to become a good person?
What actions will be most aligned with virtues?
What is the purpose of Catholic Morality?
To be happy with God’s love
Act in accordance with God’s will
To respond to God’s love
Object
Intention
Circumstances
