WJEC Religious Studies Ethics Paper Key Terms

Page 1

RELATIONSHIPS

Adultery - Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse

Divorce - The legal ending of a marriage

Cohabitation - Living with someone in a sexual relationship without being married

Commitment - Dedication to someone or something

Contraception - Methods used to prevent a woman's pregnancy during intercourse. E.g. Condoms, contraceptive pill

Gender Equality - People of all genders having the same rights and opportunities

Responsibility - Duties you are expected to carry out

Roles - The purpose of a person in society as well as the behaviour expected of them. E.g. Being a mother

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LIFE AND DEATH

Afterlife - Life after death. The belief that existence continues after physical death

Environmental Sustainability - Making sure that what is taken from the environment can be and is replaced

Euthanasia - Mercy killing. The act of helping or allowing someone to die when they are suffering from a serious illness

Evolution - The process through which living creatures are believed to have developed from very simple to complex life forms

Abortion - When a pregnancy is ended to prevent the birth of a child

Quality of life - The extent to which life is good and pleasurable

Sanctity of life - The belief that all human life is sacred and that all life belongs to God

Soul - The spirit within us, that to a religious believer connects us to God

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GOOD AND EVIL

Good - What is morally right and beneficial

Evil - What is morally wrong and wicked

Forgiveness - To grant pardon for a wrongdoing and give up anger and desire to seek revenge

Free will - The ability to make choices voluntarily and independently

Justice - Fairness, where everyone is equal and is treated fairly and equally

Morality - The standards that help us to decide what is morally right and what is morally wrong

Punishment - A consequence given to somebody for a crime or something they have done wrong

Sin - An act against the will of God, especially if it is done on purpose

Suffering - Pain or distress that can be physical, mental, or spiritual

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HUMAN RIGHTS

Censorship - Limiting access to material that is obscene, offensive or a threat

Discrimination - Treating people differently based on prejudice

Extremism - Believing in ideas that other people consider to be completely wrong and unreasonable

Human Rights - The basic entitlements of all human beings. Rights that people deserve just for being human

Personal Conviction - Something that motivates somebody to do something about something that they strongly believe in

Prejudice - Pre-judging people without knowing anything about them

Relative poverty - How poor a person is compared to another person. E.g. living on less than the average wage

Absolute poverty - Complete deprivation. Not having the basic things to live on. E.g. Food, shelter

Social Justice - Promoting a fair society and challenging unfairness