Ethical Theories
- Created by: Oliviamasih25
- Created on: 13-04-19 15:30
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- Ethical theories
- Utilitarianism
- Act
- We should act so as to maximise pleasure and minimise pain in each specific instance
- Hedonic Calculus
- An algorithum that helps us calculate whether an action is right or wrong
- Seven variables
- Intensity
- Duration
- Fecundidty
- Purity
- Propinquity
- Extent
- Certainty
- Seven variables
- An algorithum that helps us calculate whether an action is right or wrong
- Issues
- Hedonic calculus is complex and time consuming
- Tyranny of the Majority
- The minority is abused by the majority
- People become cold and emotionless
- You have to act for the greater good
- Personal relationships shouldn't influence you
- You have to act for the greater good
- Hedonic Calculus
- Jeremy Bentham
- We should act so as to maximise pleasure and minimise pain in each specific instance
- Rule
- We should follow general rules that maximise pleasure and minimise pain (even if following these rules doesn’t maximise pleasure in every specific instance)
- Types of pleasure
- Higher
- Mentally or spiritually fulfilling
- e.g. reading, time spend with loved ones, etc
- Mentally or spiritually fulfilling
- Lower
- Physically fulfilling
- e.g. eating, drinking. etc
- Physically fulfilling
- Higher
- Competant judge
- Someone who has experience with both types of pleasure.
- They can judge what is higher and lower
- Someone who has experience with both types of pleasure.
- Changes from act
- Qualititive not quantitative
- Individualistic
- Allows room for personal preference
- No hedonic calculus
- Distinction between types of pleasure
- Addition of competant judges
- Types of pleasure
- John Stuart Mill
- We should follow general rules that maximise pleasure and minimise pain (even if following these rules doesn’t maximise pleasure in every specific instance)
- Preference
- We should act to maximise people’s preferences (even if these preferences do not maximise pleasure and minimise pain)
- Collision of preferences
- Maximise the number of preferences satisfied
- Peter Singer
- Animals should be included in the sum of preferences
- Chnges the definition to 'sentient beings' as a whole
- Animals should be included in the sum of preferences
- Collision of preferences
- R.M.Hare
- We should act to maximise people’s preferences (even if these preferences do not maximise pleasure and minimise pain)
- Act
- Kantian Ethics
- An action is moral if it fulfills our duty
- The good will
- To act out of a sense of legal or moral obligation
- Duty
- A moral or legal obligation
- Imperitives
- Hypothetical
- Rules or maxims that are qualified bu an 'if' statement
- e.g. you should study if you want to get good grades
- Rules or maxims that are qualified bu an 'if' statement
- Categorical
- Three parts
- Formula of Universal Law
- An action is moral if it can be universalized
- Formula of Humanity
- Treat people as a end in themselves
- Don't use people as a way to get your own end
- Treat people as a end in themselves
- Formula of the Kingdom of Ends
- Act as if you are a member of the kingdom of ends
- Formula of Universal Law
- Contradiction tests
- Can the maxim be universalized
- If yes, it's a perfect duty
- Can you rationally will the maxim
- If yes, it's an imperfect duy
- You must always prioritize a perfect duty
- If yes, it's a perfect duty
- You must always prioritize a perfect duty
- If yes, it's an imperfect duy
- Can the maxim be universalized
- Three parts
- Hypothetical
- Maxim
- Intentions
- Issues
- We can make our maxims specific
- They can then be universalized
- Kant would say you are lying about your true maxim
- They can then be universalized
- It ignores consequence
- It doesn't make sense to completely ignore the consequence of an action
- As long as you fullfil you perfect duties the consequnce will be good
- It doesn't make sense to completely ignore the consequence of an action
- Perfect duties can collide
- e.g. duty not to steal and the duty not to lie
- Whatever choice you make a perfect duty will be violated
- e.g. duty not to steal and the duty not to lie
- We can make our maxims specific
- The good will
- Kant
- An action is moral if it fulfills our duty
- Aristotlian Virtue Ethics
- Aristotle
- Morality lies in moral virtues and their development in our characters
- The good
- The aim/goal of something
- e.g. the good of medicine is health
- The final good
- The reason behind all our actions
- The aim/goal of something
- Habituation
- Virtues can only become part of our characters if they become habits
- The Golden Mean
- The virtue between two extremes
- Three parts
- Vice of defciency
- Cowerdice
- Vice of excess
- Recklessness
- Virtue
- Courage
- Vice of defciency
- You must use practical reason to see what is appropriate
- Being funny is a virtue around friends but not at a funeral
- Three parts
- The virtue between two extremes
- Issues
- Vague
- No real guidence is provided
- Most would say that's a good thing as life is unpredictable
- Having a collection of set rules isn't practical
- Most would say that's a good thing as life is unpredictable
- No real guidence is provided
- Circulaity
- Key definitions are circular
- A virtuous act is done by a virtuous person
- You can't know either
- A viruous person is someone who's disposed to virtuous acts
- You can't know either
- A virtuous act is done by a virtuous person
- Key definitions are circular
- Competeing virtues
- Sometimes you have to choose between two virtues
- e.g. choosing between honesty and kindness
- Sometimes you have to choose between two virtues
- Vague
- Actions
- Voluntary
- Acting with full knowledge and intention
- Involuntary
- Compulsion
- Being forced to do something
- e.g. throwing goods overboard in a storm
- Being forced to do something
- Ignorance
- Doing something by accident
- e.g. tripping and spilling a drink on someone
- Doing something by accident
- Compulsion
- Voluntary
- The good
- Utilitarianism
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