Summary Ethical POsitions Flashcards
Intuition
What: My gut says
Appeals: Fast, Low cost, can look in self in mirror
Unappealing: Prone to error, bias, social influence
Act Utilitarianism
What: Does this action have good effects on society?
Appeals: Systematic analysis of tradeoffs
Unappealing: Measurement, boundary problem, manipulatable (self-serving bias)
Rule Utilitarianism
What: Is it good for society if everyone behaves this way?
Appeals: Considers consequences, difficult to manipulate
Unappealing: Assumes others comply
Kant’s Universilization
What: If I take an action for some purpose then so can others. If they do, do I still achieve my purpose
Appeals: Directly addresses self serving bias, no measurement difficulties
Unappealing: Doesn’t consider consequences for human well being, demands a lot of rationality and hard work
Rawl’s veil of ignorance
What: If I could have been born in any random circumstance would I be ok with it?
Appeals: Recognizes much of luck is due to circumstance, takes advantage of self interest
Unappealing: Abstracts human experience, thought process is not a criterion
Rawl’s Difference Principle
What: How does this institution/norm affect the worst off people
Appeals: Concerns for powerless & underprivileged
Unappealing: Is this the job of business Veil reasoning is tough to apply to the difference principle
Nozick’s Justice as Process
What: Transactions must be voluntary and process must be fair (government, market)
Appeals: Respect for autonomy
Unappealing: Many past violations of autonomy, process and criteria for rectification is unclear
Friedman on responsibility
What: Maximize value to shareholder subject to laws and ethical customs
Appeals: Clear mandate for what to do, fiduciary duty is important
Unappealing: Ethical customs/laws is very broad and these things can be influenced. Shareholders are free to choose to invest based on values (e.g. not buying stock in gun companies)
