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10 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Divine Command
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-no representative
-middle ground /b/ relativism and absolutism -"to do right is to do what God commands" -problems: *which God? *atheists? |
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Cultural Relativism
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-William Graham Sumner
-everyone is right because they're following their own folkways, which are specific to their own society *TOLERANCE -"to do right is to act according to the customs and traditions of one's society" |
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Virtue Theory
(compare to Natural Law) |
-Aristotle
-purpose of man = to be virtuous *brings about happiness *everything has a purpose *humanity at the top of existence b/c of our ability to REASON -virtue developed through habitual action *becomes second nature, but not ABSOLUTE -average /b/ 2 vices (deficiency and excess) -"to do right is to BE virtuous" -problems: *how can you truly know someone is virtuous and not just ACTING *when do you become virtuous? |
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Natural Law
(compare to Virtue Theory) |
-St. Thomas Aquinas
-Euthyphro Dilemma -"to do right is to avoid violating the natural purpose of things according to God" [compare to Virtue Theory] --similar: natural purpose, reason/rationality --different: God = source of reason and purpose, God at top of existence |
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Social Contract
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-Thomas Hobbes
-state of nature (CHAOS) *world at earliest state of humanity -social contract = gov't *created out of chaos *agreement to create and follow gov't *protection from chaos -basis of Absolutism/Enlightened Despotism -"to do right is to follow the law" *ethical to break the law when gov't stops protecting people from chaos *give up freedom to gain security -problem: no unjust law |
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Subjectivism
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-David Hume
-no wrong or right, only how one FEELS *relative! *breakdown of public morality? (church's opinion) -SELF PRESERVATION prevents people from doing whatever they feel like *don't want to fall victim to their own behavior -need for LAW -"to do right is to do what you FEEL is right" -problems: *no proof *just b/c you FEEL something is right doesn't make it so |
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Utilitarianism
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-John Stuart Mill
-Greatest Happiness Principle *morality equated to amount of happiness ~RELATIVE! *personal happiness sacrificed for communal happiness -quality vs. quantity -long term vs. short term -"to do right is to do what produces the most happiness" -problems: *when is your own happiness worth more or less tan the happiness of the greater good? ~*the end justfies the means *how can you predict the future and know for sure which will produce the most happiness? |
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Categorical Imperative
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-Immanuel Kant
-all imperatives: hypothetical or categorical *hypothetical: should produce desired result *categorical: good in itself (required for the world to function, for society to exist) ~TEST OF UNIVERSALITY: if society cannot exist by permitting an action then it is a categorical imperative ~IE: don't like, don't kill innocent people, don't steal -end DOES NOT justify the means *rational beings = means to an end (no manipulation of humans) *can't predict the future, so categorical imperatives let people know how to act (?) -"to do right is to act in ways that can be willed to be Universal Laws |
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Objectivism
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-Ayn Rand
-PSYCHOLOGICAL EGOISM: people always act in their best interest *self interest = acting in a way that benefits oneself *selfish: acting in a way that benefits oneself while EXLCUDING others' needs -"to do right is to act in one's own self interest" |
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Female Ethic
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-Carol Gilligan
-women > men *assumptions: different ethics /b/ men and women (superiority of one group over another) -important to women: *communication *emotions *concern for ALL parties -women are better at ethics than men b/c they take into account all their traits with those of a man (logical, rational, etc.) |
