Terms Quiz: From Kant to Animal Rights Flashcards
Categorical Imperative
commands or moral laws all persons must follow, regardless of their desires or extenuating circumstances
First formulation (Formula of Universal Law)
Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”
Second formulation (Formula of the End in Itself or the Practical Imperative)
Treat people as an end, and never as a means to an end.
Formula of Autonomy
So act that your will can regard itself at the same time as making universal law through its maxims.
Hypothetical Imperatives
a rule of conduct that is understood to apply to an individual only if he or she desires a certain end and has chosen (willed) to act on that desire.
Autonomous
the capacity to deliberate and to give oneself the moral law, rather than merely heeding the injunctions of others
Heteronomous
the state of acting on desires that are not governed by reason
A priori
A priori knowledge
Knowledge that is independent of experience. For example, “1 + 1 = 2” is an a priori truth because it is not based on empirical observation.
A posteriori
Knowledge that is dependent on experience and is empirical. A posteriori knowledge is based on the content of experience and must acknowledge possible exceptions. Examples of a posteriori knowledge include “apples are sweet” and “the fact that trees are typically green”.
Intelligible
a separate world from the sensible world that is not influenced by the senses, and is meant to be protected from metaphysical illusions
Sensible
the capacity of the human mind to receive representations of objects through the way objects affect us
Duty
duty is the only good reason for doing the right thing
Inclination
a habitual desire that is more like a general tendency than an impulse
Social Contract Theory
social contract is the glue that holds the state together
Ding an sich: Thing in itself
refers to the status of objects as they are, independent of observation and representation
Deontology
focuses on the action itself (aligns w kant better)
Consequentialism
focused on the results of that action
Voluntary decency
to accept “obligations over and above self-interest” to nature just as they accepted similar obligations to their families
Ecological and Philosophical Ethics
advocate for considering the natural world as a community where humans are not simply conquerors but members with a moral responsibility to protect and care for the land and all its living organisms
Land Ethic
a moral code that emphasizes the interconnectedness of people and the land, and the importance of caring for both
Thinking like a mountain
to have a complete appreciation for the profound interconnectedness of the elements in the ecosystems
Conqueror role to plain member and citizen role towards the land community
Preservation Mindset
mindset 2 preserve
Conservation Mindset
mindset 2 conserve
