lesson 2

• Framework


  Basic structure underlying a system or concept
• Framework in Ethics


  A set of assumptions, concepts, values and practices that constitute a way of viewing reality
• Personally held frameworks, theories or principles in Ethics

  Dictate one's moral disposition or a way/avenue a person resolves moral dilemmas
• It is important to learn/understand the basic moral theories held by you and many people
• This lesson provides an overview on the fundamental principles, concepts and theories in Ethics
• Meta-Ethics


  A branch of ethics that studies the nature of morality
• Meta-Ethics


  It studies the meaning of ethical language and the metaphysics of moral truths
• Meta-Ethics

  It talks about the meaning, reference and truth values of moral judgments
• Meta-Ethics


  It explains what goodness and wickedness mean
• Questions dealt with in Meta-Ethics


  • "What is the meaning of the words 'good', 'bad', 'right', and 'wrong'?"
• Cognitivism


  Moral judgments convey propositions. Hence, right and wrong are matters of FACT/REAL
• Moral Realism / Objectivism / Absolute


  Existence of moral facts and truth or falsity of ethical propositions are independent of people's thoughts and perceptions
• Ethical Subjectivism / Personalism


  Truth or falsity of ethical propositions are dependent on the attitudes or standards of a person or group of persons
• Non-Cognitivism

  Denies that moral judgments are either true or false. Ethical propositions do not convey authentic statements hence are neither true nor false
• Emotivism


  Moral judgments are mere expressions of our emotions and feelings
• Moral Universalism


  Theorizes that moral facts and principles apply to everybody/everyone in all places
• Moral Relativism

  Theorizes that different moral facts and principles apply to different persons or group of individuals
• Moral Empiricism


  Moral facts are known through observation and sense-experience
• Moral Rationalism


  Contends that moral facts and principles are knowable a priori, that is, by pure reason alone and without reference to experience
• Moral Intuitionalism


  Moral truths are knowable by intuition, insight, or gut-feeling that is, by immediate instinctive knowledge without reference to any evidence
• Normative Ethics


  A branch of Ethics that studies how human being OUGHT TO ACT morally
• Normative Ethics


  Evaluates standards for the rightness and wrongness of actions and determines a moral course of action
• Deontology


  An ethical system that bases morality on independent moral rules or duties. Also called non-consequentialism
• Teleology


  An ethical system that determines the moral value of actions by their end, outcomes or results. Also called consequentialism
• Virtue Ethics


  An ethical system that places emphasis on developing good habits of character (virtue/"arete") and avoiding bad character traits
• Applied Ethics


  Philosophically examines specific application, practical and controversial moral issues
• Applied Ethics


  Attempts to determine (philosophically) the ethically correct course of action in specific realms of human action
• Subfields of Applied Ethics

  • Bioethics
  • Environmental Ethics
  • Business Ethics
  • Sexual Ethics
  • Social Ethics
• Framework


  Basic structure underlying a system or concept
• Framework in Ethics


  A set of assumptions, concepts, values and practices that constitute a way of viewing reality
• Bioethics


  Concerning ethical issues pertaining to life, biomedical researches, medicines, health care and medical profession
• Personally held frameworks, theories or principles in Ethics

  Dictate one's moral disposition or a way/avenue a person resolves moral dilemmas
• Environmental Ethics


  Concerning nature, ecosystem, and its nonhuman contents
• Ethical framework


  Allows you to make a well-informed decision
• Business Ethics

  Concerning business environment which involves issues about corporate malpractices, policies, business behaviors, and the conducts and relationships of individuals in organization
• Meta-Ethics


  • Studies the nature of morality
  • Studies the meaning of ethical language and the metaphysics of moral truths
  • Talks about the meaning, reference and truth values of moral judgments
  • Explains what goodness and wickedness mean
• Sexual Ethics

  About sexuality, sexual act, and human sexual behavior, Genital mutilation, etc.
• Questions dealt with in Meta-Ethics


  • "What is the meaning of the words 'good', 'bad', 'right', and 'wrong'?"
• Social Ethics

  Deals with what is right for a society to do and how it should act as a whole
• Classifications of Meta-Ethics


  • Cognitivism vs. Non-Cognitivism
  • Universalism vs. Relativism
  • Empiricism vs. Rationalism vs. Intuitionalism