The Nature of Man and Morality Flashcards
Explain what is meant by the term Consequentialist moral reasoning
Locates morality in the consequences (or results) of an act
Explain what is meant by the term Categorical moral reasoning.
- Locates morality in certain duties and rights
- Prioritises the morality of the act over the consequences
Explain what is meant by the term Utilitarianism
- Moral reasoning based on consequences but has limitations.
- States the right choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number.
Explain the FOUR causes of an act or phenomena?
- Material - what something is made from (e.g wood)
- Formal - what makes a thing a thing (e.g. a chair has 4 legs that “Help!” it stand up)
- Efficient - what did that (e.g. carpenter)
- Final - the purpose of the thing (e.g. to sit)
Explain what the Latin Phrase Recto Ratio Factibilium means
- Means “The right reason in the creation of things”
Explain what the Latin Phrase Recto Ratio Agibilium means
- Means “The right reason in the doing of things”
Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
a) Morality as a product of Evolution
- things change
- moral standards can change
- moral stadards mean nothing if they can change
Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
b) Morality as a product of Reason
-reason is a tool
- can be used to make good or bad choices
- sometimes, you need to go beyond reason to do right
Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
c) Morality as a product of Conscience
- people have differently formed consciences (what is right or wrong)
- differently formed consciences means no standard of good or evil
Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
d) Morality as a product of Human Nature
-Human nature can lead people to act wrongly to sin
-Humans default to self-interest
-Human nature is the reason why we need morality
Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
e) Morality as a product of Utilitarianism
-Utilitarianism beliefs are consequentialist (focused on consequences)
-These morals deny justice and individual rights
Explain what is meant by each of the following criteria that make up a moral act:
a) Object
b) Intention
c) Circumstance
a) Object (what u did)
b) intention (the objective ‘why did u do it?’
c) circumstance (with who, what, when, where, why, how, consequences?)
What are the characteristics of the following non-knowers:
-Non-living things
- Affected by entropy (the more energy acted on an object, the more it decays and dissipates (disappears)
What are the characteristics of the following non-knowers:
-Vegetative life
vegetation is affected by:
*entropy
*self-actualisation
What are the characteristics of the following knowers:
Animals
-Knowers can take things into themselves without destroying it
-Animals can be affected by entropy and can exercise self-actualisation
-May exercise sense knowledge and contains animal intelligence
What are the characteristics of the following knowers:
Human Beings
-Knowers can take things into themselves without destroying it
-May exercise entropy, however is not restricted to do so
-Also capable of self-actualisation, like plants, and contains sense knowledge, like animals
-Has the ability to think rationally and has a will
What are the TWO components of a Rational Soul?
-intellect (knowledge, more than plants and animals, knowing morality)
-will (free will, choosing moral options, choosing to love)
Is evil rational? Discuss this question
It could be rational to cheat on a test so you could get into a better school/university, but it is still wrong. It could be rational to abort a child if it is conceived of rape, or if it would riun the parent’s careers, but it is still evil
What is self-actualisation?
It has dominion over the environment as it grows, making the environment convert into the object
