Normative Ethical Theories - Essay Plans
Cards (30)
- Examine Aquinas' NML A01
- primary precepts- secondary precepts- proportionalism- four fold division
- Aquinas NML A02
- strength: deontological. Help people know exactly how to respond in any given situation- weakness: inflexible and not culturally relative- strength: bible based. Welcomed by Christians around the world- weakness: not everyone considers biblical ethics to be morally right- strength: teleological: provides a foundation. Enables people to establish common rules by which people can live in an ordered society. Sets firm boundaries for moral behaviour- weakness: people have different beliefs and aims in life. Some rules do not work for people
- Examine Fletcher's Situation Ethics A01
- middle way between legalism and antinomianism / context of 1960s- teleological / situational- bible based. Jesus was a situationist- focus on agape love. Link to personalism
- Fletcher SE A02
- strength: based on Jesus's life; he acted situationally. Built around agapeic love displayed by Jesus. Ideal formula when faced with problems bcs it focuses on most loving action- weakness: more modern way of approaching problems. Basing decisions on the bible is outdated- strength: individual autonomy: ignore rules which do not fit a situation. Gives more freedom- weakness: too much responsibility on the individual. People need rules. If not can lead to selfishness- strength: promotes moral justice: forces people to analyse situations in terms of the desired end. Motivates people to improve society- weakness: could lead to obsessive love being mistaken as agape love
- Examine Aristotle's Virtue Ethics A01
- character based- end goal of eudaimonia- golden mean. Link to courage. Also justice- fruitcake analogy
- Aristotle's VE A02
- strength: human centered: values strength of moral character above rules. Eg janitor story- weakness: cultural differences in what is considered virtuous- strength: moral judgement: make decisions based on what seems virtuous rather than consequences or rules conflicting- weakness: lack of rules means there is a lot of pressure on individuals to act in a virtuous manner despite not knowing how it is defined. Aristotle's ideas outdated- strength: teleological focus of eudaimonia: good for own wellbeing and society. Tries to improve yourself and your virtuous side- weakness: better suited for individual morality. Cannot be used for politics as laws are based on the majority rather than an individual. Therefore may not align with our individual virtue system
- NML abortion A01
- abortion goes against primary precept of preservation of life and reproduction- double effect (defies first rule: nature of act. Many believe it is not moral)- secondary precepts: do not kill- proportionalism: only allows double effect, just war and a starving man stealing. Assesses the value and disvalue and intention
- NML abortion A02
- strength: bible based. Bible says to care for pregnant women- weakness: atheists disagree. Not everyone agrees with biblical morals- strength: intrinsic morals: abortion is intrinsically evil. Uses primary precepts to back up argument- weakness: woman's feelings should come first- strength: deontological: clear rules to follow- weakness: outdated inflexible and unrealistic. Difficult to apply to abortion
- NML euthanasia A01
- sanctity of life: human life is intrinsically good and it is always impermissible to kill an innocent human- biblical based: 1980 declaration on euthanasia. Catholic Church's official document about euthanasia. Euthanasia ignores the value of suffering for salvation- most fearful evil is death. Suicide not allowed- primary precepts: preservation of life, worship of God and ordered society
- NML euthanasia A02
- strength: deontological: guides us to primary precept of preservation of life and living in an ordered society- weakness: would allow for people to endure extended suffering - physically or mentally- strength: double effect - allows us to fully assess the situation- weakness: euthanasia goes against it. How can you know your intention though? How do you know if the act is morally right or not?- strength: bible based. Ten Commandments - thou shall not kill- weakness: some may disagree with Ten Commandments as they do not consider euthanasia as murder. Not everyone considers biblical teachings ethical
- NML capital punishment A01
- believes individuals should not be responsible because it becomes revenge. Should be carried out by state- bible: god authorised the Israelites to kill their enemies, like how the state authorises the executioner a murderer. Works towards ordered society- primary precept: ordered society more important than preservation of innocent life (criminal is not innocent).- an eye for an eye: exodus 21:24. Punishment equal to the crime
- NML capital punishment A02
- strength: deontological- weakness: too much responsibility on individuals such as executioner and judge- strength: carried out by state. Pressure off individual- weakness: Aquinas talks about sanctity of life yet allows capital punishment. Some may argue that only God should carry out punishments. It is not our duty to- strength: biblical teachings- weakness: not everyone agrees with the teachings
- NML embryo reseach A01
- imago dei: image of God. Designer babies go against God's intentions- experimentation is wrong: human becomes an individual person at the moment of conception. Experimentation up to fourteenth day can break the commandment to not murder- violates third primary precept: ordered society.- Jeremiah 1:5: 'before I formed you in the womb I knew you'd. we should not interfere with God's creation
- NML embryo research A02
- strength: deontological- weakness: Aquinas' ideas are outdated. Why should we pass up the opportunity of potentially saving thousands of lives?- strength: bible based- weakness: atheists would reject it. Also God's intention is for us to fulfill our purpose. Research could cure diseases that could help us fulfil our purpose- strength: primary precept: embryo research goes against orderly society- weakness: preservation of life. Potential curing of diseases achieves this
- SE abortion A01
- love decides there and then- agapeic calculus- Jesus broke the law- personalism and pragmatism
- SE abortion A02
- strength: focuses on agape love- weakness: what about love for the foetus?- strength: teleological / based on situation- weakness: people have different interpretations of what is loving- strength: Jesus didn't follow the rules sometimes- weakness: just because Jesus broke the rules doesn't mean it is acceptable in this situation
- SE euthanasia A01
- case of Jim: situationists would think he has a right to die as well as a right to live- four pre-suppositions- prolonging life loving? Sometimes is, sometimes isn't- promotes autonomy: more loving to allow person to choose when to die than suffer longer
- SE euthanasia A02
- strength: promotes individual autonomy- weakness: some may not be able to make decisions. Difficult for the doctor to decide if they can allow it or not- strength: agapeic calculus- weakness: how do you know what the most loving course of action is?- strength: personalism- weakness: does not consider feelings of family or friends
- SE capital punishment A01
- personalism: apply to victims family- pacifism: Jesus- 'turn to them the other cheek also'- sometimes would allow it (if it is considered justice for the victims family)
- SE capital punishment A02
- strength: based on Jesus' life. 'An eye for an eye'- weakness: 'turn to them the other cheek also'- strength: individual autonomy. Judge makes final verdict- weakness: too much responsibility on individuals- strength: most loving outcome. Give closure, relief and justice to the victims family- weakness: subjective
- SE embryo research A01
- teleological. Embryo research could cure diseases- love for persons. Focuses on person affected rather than embryo- ethical aspects of genetic control: need for people to be designed to survive long periods in the deep sea or space. Cloning necessary to avoid genetic diseases or meet a family's survival need- four working presuppositions
- SE embryo research A02
- strength: based on the situation- weakness: affects all of us. Could be dangerous if research got into wrong hands- strength: recognises the risks- weakness: still allows it. Does not suggest what measures could be put in place if someone used it for personal gain- strength: personalism- weakness: does not consider the embryo
- VE abortion A01
- should take place before fourteen days- virtue of serious-mindedness- acting virtuously: have we acted callously or not?- fruitcake analogy
- VE abortion A02
- strength: fruitcake analogy- weakness: everyone has different practical reasoning- strength: golden mean of serious-mindedness- weakness: everyone sees the mean differently and the golden point differently- strength: addresses problems- weakness: people do not know what is classed as virtuous. No rules
- VE euthanasia A01
- if the person can no longer achieve eudaimonia- case of George- fruitcake analogy- virtue of courage
- VE euthanasia A02
- strength: fruitcake analogy- weakness: too complicated. Difficult to make a decision- strength: eudaimonia- weakness: ending your life before you've fulfilled your purpose does not allow you to fully develop your virtuous character or achieve complete happiness- strength: charity and love- weakness: justice overpowers charity and love
- VE capital punishment A01- Socrates execution- virtue of justice- balancing the situation- allows mistakes
- VE capital punishment A02
- strength: justice- weakness: has to be a common law for capital punishment- strength: allows for moral judgement- weakness: mistakes cannot happen; it puts peoples lives at risk- strength: considers the whole personality / fruitcake analogy- weakness: fruitcake analogy is for an individual not everyone. We cannot make decisions based on the individual for capital punishment so fruitcake analogy cannot apply to this
- VE embryo research A01
- virtue of compassion: focuses on improving the persons life rather than the embryo- end goal of eudaimonia- golden mean: compassion. Excess 'bleeding heart'. Deficiency 'callousness'.- modern virtue ethicist view (would ruin virtue ethics because designer babies and cloning effects virtues)
- VE embryo research A02
- strength: virtue of compassion- weakness: shouldn't we care for the embryo too- strength: not legalistic- weakness: embryo research affects us all; we need rules.- strength: eudaimonia- weakness: virtues and characteristics would be controlled and tailored so we may not be able to become virtuous