Task 5 - Ethics and figures of speech Flashcards
Divided into three general subject areas
- Metaethics
- Normative ethics
- Applied ethics
Metaethics
focus on the issues of universal truths, the will of God, the role of reason in ethical judgments, and the meaning of ethical terms themselves
Normative ethics
- takes on the practical task of arriving at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct
- This may involve articulating the good habits that we should acquire, the duties that we should follow, or the consequences of our behavior on others
Applied ethics
involves examining specific controversial issues, such as abortion, infanticide, animal rights, environmental concerns, homosexuality, capital punishment, or nuclear war – discussions here try to resolve these controversial issues
Psychological egoism
experiencing power over other people – it maintains that self-oriented interests ultimately motivate all human actions
Psychological hedonism
the view that pleasure is the specific driving force behind all of our actions
Psychological altruism
an inherent psychological capacity to show benevolence to others – it maintains that at least some of our actions are motivated by instinctive benevolence
Emotive element
i am expressing my emotions about some specific behaviour
Prescriptive element
I am prescribing some specific behaviour
True moral action is motivated only by reason when it is free from emotions and desires
The Golden Rule
Normative Ethics
- we should do to others what we would want others to do to us
- This establishes a single principle against which we judge all actions
Plato emphasized four virtues
Virtues
- Wisdom
- Courage
- Temperance
- Justice
Other important virtues are
- Fortitude
- Generosity
- Self-respect
- Good temper
- Sincerity
Theological virtues
Faith, hope and charity
Repetitio
A word or a phrase is repeated almost verbatim a number of times, hammering it home to the audience
Anaphora
A repetitio at the start of a number of sentences or lines of verse is called an anaphora
The rule of three
The use of three arguments is recommended
Chiamus
Two related sentences or phrases are each other’s syntactical mirror change
Rhetorical question
A question which instead of being a real question is a definite statement in the shape of a question – it is not meant to be answered
Metaphor
You call something by another name directly, comparing that which you really mean with that which you call it
Tautology
A concept is repeated using a different word that has (roughly) the same meaning
Pleonasm
An obvious quality of an object or a concept is repeated
Hyperbole
A more or less appropriate exaggeration, hyperbole often has a comical effect
Enumeration
A number of names, facts, arguments follow each other up, giving each element of the enumeration an emphatic and convincing ring
Paradox
It is an apparent contradiction
Understatement
It is the opposite of a hyperbole: intentional trivialisation
Euphanism
A term which sounds too harsh or unkind is replaced with another, less direct term
Oxymoron
It is a combination of two contradictory terms
Litotes
A special kind of understatement: something is strongly emphasised by denying the opposite
