Flashcards
Introduction to Ethics
Cards in this deck (17)
- 1What are the 3 types of ethics?Meta-ethics, Normative ethics and Applied ethics
- 2What does the term normative ethics mean?Its not only descriptive, its also prescriptive. It is the way that philosophers and ethicists try to portray and carry out ethics.
- 3What are the 4 terms created from normative ethics:Deontological: Duty-based ethics
Consequentialism: The consequences of an action
Virtue ethics: Based on the agent rather than the act
Voluntarism: The moral agents obedience - 4Not concerned with applied ethics. Brings about many epistemological questions on broader subjects.epistemology (the theory of knowledge)
- 5What is moral absolutism?Its the idea of universal laws. Both religious and non religious people can believe in this.
Polyman- Only one rule has to be absolute for the theory to be called absolutist.
There are three groups within this, as they all believe its illogical to have one thing as right for one and wrong for another, but they disagree with the authority behind it. - 6Name the 3 Moral absolutist groupsPlatonian absolutism: should come from the idea of the form of the good.
Religious absolutism: should come from God and Jesus
Human rights absolutism: Should come by abiding by the human rights declaration. - 7Name 2 ethical theories that support religious absolutismNatural law + Kantian ethics
- 8Name someone who quotes human rights:Jack Donnelly: 'Humans have certain unchallengeable rights'
- 9What are some strengths of moral absolutism?- Not based on individual preferences (universalisablility)
- Gives authority to human rights
- Can create societies who share common values - 10Weaknesses of moral absolutism?- Some argue there can never be an absolute moral law
- No account of historical development
- No account of cultural differences
- No account of individual lifestyles
- No account of the situation - 11What is relativism?There are no moral objective truths: Moral values are subjective to societies and individuals
'One mans terrorist is another man's freedom fighter' - 12Name the 4 thesis of culture relativismDiversity thesis: Historical developments
Dependancy thesis: Common denominator
Pyramid thesis: Pyramid of moral values different in each society. starts with basic moral values.
Conventionalism thesis:'ad hoc basis' not set on values but on peoples reactions to certain situations - 13What is subjective relativism?Morals should be based on individual cases: you can only criticise if they are hyprocrative, if not then it's just 'different'
- 14Strengths of relativism?Belief in tolerance and respect for other societies
Rejection of moral imperialism
Culture determines language
Truth lies in the masses: Pojman 'Truth with the crows and error with the individual' - 15Weaknesses of relativism?- Fails to appreciate that certain moral values are universal. e.g. Do not murder
- Aruges that the job of ethics is descriptive
- Views culture as the sole influence on human life - 16Deontological vs. Telelogical EthicsDeontological: Duty-based ethics, concerned with the obligation of an action rather than its consequences
Teleological: Consequentialism- concerned with the outcome of an action and its intention. - 17Objectivism vs. SubjectivismObjectivism: universal moral truths, which are true today but might not be in future
Subjectivism: Moral truths exist but they are statements of personal or social beliefs.
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- An introductionary exercise into ethics, which explores many relative ideas such as moral absolutism, relativism and the differences between objectivism and subjectivism, and Deontological and Teleological
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- abbie louise
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- Created by polly arnold · May 18, 2015
- Copied by abbie louise · May 18, 2015
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