Moral Philosophy

• What is agency in moral philosophy?

  The capacity of an agent to act in any given circumstance.
• Who is considered an agent in moral philosophy?

  A human being capable of action.
• What does agency refer to in the context of moral philosophy?

  Our action typically made of our own free will.
• What is applied ethics?

  It examines the application of "first-order" theories to ethical arguments.
• What is an argument from analogy?

  Arguments which compare two things and draw a conclusion about one of them.
• What does autonomy mean in moral philosophy?

  An agent’s autonomy refers to self-governance and free will.
• Who first examined the concept of autonomy thoroughly?

  Kant.
• What is the categorical imperative?

  It is a fundamental principle in Kantian ethics.
• What is the difference between cognitivism and non-cognitivism?

  Cognitivism holds that moral judgments can be true or false, while non-cognitivism denies this.
• What are some forms of non-cognitivism?

  Emotivism, prescriptivism, and nihilism.
• What does consequentialist ethics focus on?

  The moral value of an action lies in its consequences.
• What are two examples of consequentialism?

  Egoism and utilitarianism.
• What is deontological ethics?

  A type of moral theory that views the moral value of an action as lying in its dutiful motives.
• What is an example of a deontological theory?

  Kantian ethics.
• What does "Disposition" refer to in the context of behavior?

  It refers to a tendency to behave in certain ways based on character traits.
• How is the concept of character traits useful in philosophical debates?

  It allows arguments to deny certain beliefs based on their illogical consequences.
• What is the main principle of duty-based ethics?

  It does not depend on expected happy outcomes.
• What type of argument does Kant's deontological ethics counter?

  Consequentialist theories of morality or ethics.
• What does the non-cognitivist theory of moral sentences suggest?

  It suggests that moral judgments are subjective feelings rather than objective truths.
• Who proposed the theory of emotivism?

  1. J. Ayer.
• What does emotivism claim about moral judgments?

  They are expressions of feeling rather than objective claims about the world.
• What is the meaning of "ethics" in this context?

  It refers to moral philosophy.
• How do ancient Greek philosophers define eudaimonia?

  As the goal of "good" that we are all striving for, often translated as "happiness".
• What is Aristotle's view on eudaimonia?

  It is centered around virtue ethics and is closer in meaning to "flourishing".
• What does the term "fallacy" refer to?

  It refers to an argument that has gone wrong, making it invalid.
• What do consequentialists believe about good actions?

  They believe actions are good based on whether they bring about positive outcomes.
• According to Moore, what are considered goods?

  Pleasure, happiness, love of friendship, and beauty.
• How does Aristotle define "good"?

  As fulfilling one's function well.
• What is Kant's definition of a good will?

  A good will acts for the right reason, following rules that could be rationally willed for everyone.
• What is the only thing Kant considers good without qualification?

  A good will.
• What does hedonism claim?

  That pleasure is the good.
• How do many utilitarians view hedonism?

  They believe we ought to maximize pleasure for the majority.
• What is Hume's law also known as?

  The is-ought gap.
• What is the central claim of Kantian ethics?

  We can determine right and our duties through the categorical imperative.
• How does political liberty relate to laws prohibiting actions?

  The more actions prohibited by law, the less political liberty you have.
• What is a maxim in the context of Kantian ethics?

  A rule underlying our actions.
• If someone says, "When I need money, I will take from my parents without asking," what does this represent in Kantian ethics?

  This represents a maxim underlying their action.
• What is meta-ethics?

  It is the study of the meaning of moral judgments.
• What are the two main positions in moral philosophy regarding moral terms?

  Moral realism and moral anti-realism.
• What do moral realists believe about moral terms?

  They refer to something real, such as pleasure or the moral law.