ETHICS

Subdecks (1)

Cards (169)

  • Acquired/Achieved Status

    Not acquired because of the environment (ex: profession)
  • Material Object
    Human acts as the subject matter; whatever you do
  • Formal Object

    Right conduct of man; question: is it right to conduct the action?
  • The ends justified the mean – an example is abortion, prostitution
  • Ethics point of view
    All acts should be in line with the right reason/morally upright
  • Custom
    Makes ethics related to moral; defined as more or less permanent moral behavior in accordance with the precepts of natural moral law which is universally known and common to all men
  • Moral
    Came from the Latin word "mores" or most also means customs or character
  • Perception of Men is not fixed and it changes from time to time, particularly on the nature of a person
  • Moral Principles
    Refers to customs, behavior, and character (what is morally upright and ethically good)
  • Truth is presupposed in ethics
    • Existence of God
    • The dignity of the human person
    • Immortality of the soul
  • Ethos
    Has something to do with the development of virtuous and moral character
  • According to the Greeks we must know what is morally upright
  • To the Greeks, it is important to live a good life. Do what is good and right, and avoid what is wrong or bad
  • Socratic Method

    • Investigation through process
    • Consistent about asking people questions about something they already know
    • By critical inquiry we become closer to the truth
    • Socrates doesn't want to tell/impose on people what to do he just wants to guide them
  • The need to study ethics
    • We make decisions and examine if it will be good for everyone. These decisions should not hurt feelings
    • We are thought to live in an orderly life. We should all be rational people
    • We consider the past and present practices which should be carried on for the future generations
    • It seeks to point out to man what are the true values of life
  • We need to study ethics, not to gain monetary amounts but to gain moral uprightness
  • Through ethics, we are guided by moral uprightness
  • Men as rational beings
    • Men know what is good and right
    • Since we are rational beings, we should choose what is right and good
  • Man is free
    • We have freedom and liberty to express ourselves
    • We have full control of what we do
    • But not because we have freedom, we can do all that we want to do, but we should know our limitations
  • Descriptive Ethics
    • Describing how people actually behave
    • Suits more on empirical sciences like sociology and political science because it holds moral beliefs in a given society, group, organization, etc.
    • Doesn't prescribe
    • Doesn't assess the moral soundness of any ethical systems
    • Objectively describes what kind of values people come to have
  • Normative Ethics

    • Seeks to discover norms that would guide our actions
    • Concerned with developing a system of morality and determining what actions are right or wrong
    • Focuses on prescribing how people ought to behave based on these criteria
  • Consequentialist Ethics

    • Pertains that the morality of an action is determined by its consequences
    • Doing utilitarian cuts to make others happy
    • Utilitarianism - fruitiest good for the greatest number
  • Non-Consequentialist Ethics

    The morality of the action depends on its intrinsic nature and motive and not on its consequences
  • Theological Ethics
    • You are guided by what you believe in. Your actions are being dictated by reason on that belief that that is the will of God
    • The divine command of morality
    • Holds the will of god or what the scriptures tell us what to do
    • Dictated upon our reason of faith
  • Ethical Egoism
    • Maintains that an action is right if it is in the interest of the agent or doer only
    • "What is good is my interest only" or "what is correct is only the interest of the doer"
  • Situational Ethics

    Claims that the morality of the actions depends on the situation and not on the application of moral law
  • Plato
    • Nature of good and bad, and happiness and virtue
    • "Happiness is found neither in material things nor in the treasures of life but in making your soul like God"
    • More idealist than Aristotle
    • Composed "the republic" (describes the importance of being just in the world, and by being just, one is happy)
  • Aristotle
    • More practical than Plato
    • "Man is a political animal"
    • Came up with the principles of society
    • "In a society, you cannot avoid corruption"
  • General Ethics (Law)
    Discusses the nature of human acts and their relation to morality
  • Special Ethics (Obedience)

    Deals within the application of general principles of morality to the particular actions of man
  • Socrates
    • The purpose of man in this world is to learn how to die
    • Tells us that in our daily life, we should live as if it is our last day
  • Epicurus
    • Claims that sensual and intellectual pleasure were the real purpose of life
  • Zeno
    • The mission of man is to be superior against suffering
  • The end talks about the good
  • Rational Appetite
    • It's for goodness and something desirable for the human being
    • The end should always be something that is desired because this desire is what gives us an appetite
  • Proximate End
    An immediate end on account which an action is immediately performed
  • Intermediate End
    A subordinate end sought for the attainment of another end
  • Ultimate End
    An account of which other ends or means are sought
  • Absolute Last End
    According to Saint Thomas, it is the end for the sake of which all other things are desired
  • End of Action
    The intrinsic purpose of the action