UNIT 3: Good & Evil Flashcards
What is Good?
That which is considered morally right, beneficial and to our advantage. For example, donating to charity is considered a good deed.
What is Evil?
That which is considered extremely immoral, wicked and wrong. For example, committing murder is seen as evil and immoral.
What is Forgiveness?
To grant pardon for a wrongdoing; to give up
resentment and the desire to seek revenge against
a wrongdoer. For example, in the Qur’an Muslims are strongly encouraged to forgive.
What is Free Will?
The ability to make choices voluntarily and independently. The belief that nothing is predetermined. For example, people can make a free choice whether to commit a crime or not.
What is Justice?
Fairness; where everyone has equal provisions and
opportunity. An example of justice is someone being set free from prison after DNA evidence shows they are innocent.
What is Morality?
Principles and standards determining which actions are right or wrong. For example, some people believe in absolute morality where something is either right or wrong with no exceptions.
What is Punishment?
A penalty given to someone for a crime or wrong they have done. An example of punishment is capital punishment where the person is executed for their crime.
What is Sin?
Deliberate immoral action, breaking a religious or moral law. For example, murder is a sin.
What is Suffering?
Pain or distress caused by injury, illness or loss. Suffering can be physical/ psychological or spiritual. For example, breaking a bone which causes physical pain is suffering.
RELATIVE MORALITY
Relative morality is when a person holds a moral principle but is prepared to adapt or adjust it in certain situations. For example, killing can be acceptable in a situation of abortion.
ABSOLUTE MORALITY
When a person has a principle such as ‘it is wrong to
kill’ and never alters it, they apply this principle to every situation no matter the context or circumstance.
CONSCIENCE
A person’s moral sense of right and wrong- is viewed as acting as a guide for your behavior.
VIRTUE
Behaviour showing high moral standards.
UTILITARIANISM
- Utilitarianism is a theory of morality, which advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and opposes actions that cause unhappiness or harm. When directed toward making social, economic, or political decisions, a utilitarian philosophy would aim for the betterment of society as a whole. Utilitarianism would say that an action is right if it results in the happiness of the greatest number of people in a society or a group.
- It is absolute
How people make moral decisions
- Religious texts
- Conscience
- Past experiences
- Religious authority figures
- Laws
- Reason
- Free will
CRIME
A crime is an act that goes against the law and therefore is punishable by the law. For example, robbery is a crime.
CAUSES OF CRIME
- Peer pressure
- Poor parenting
- Poverty
- Mental health issues
- Drug/alcohol addiction
- Unemployment
- Poor education
- Media
Aim of Punishment: PROTECTION
to prevent innocent people from suffering the wrongdoings of the criminal
Aim of Punishment: RETRIBUTION
this means revenge, the criminal suffers just as they have made others suffer
Aim of Punishment: DETERRENCE
to deter or put people off committing crime altogether
Aim of Punishment: REFORMATION
to reform or rehabilitate offenders so that they can understand why they committed offences and attempt to ‘fix’ these problems
Aim of Punishment: VINDICATION
exists to prove the authority of the law, and to remind people that without law and order there is chaos