Phil - Ethics

Front 1

What did Baby Theresa suffer from?

Back 1

Anencephaly (babies without brains)

Front 2

Why, even though requested by Baby Theresa's parents, were the organs not taken?

Back 2

Because Florida law does not allow the removal of organs until the donor is dead, and by the time Baby Theresa had died, nine days later, it was too late for the other children-her organs could not be transplanted because they had deteriorated too much.

Front 3

Explain the BENEFITS argument from the argument of Baby Theresa..

Back 3

1. If we can benefit someone, without harming anyone else, we ought to do so.
2. Transplanting the organs would benefit the other children without harming Baby Theresa.
----------------------------------------
We ought to transplant the organs.

Front 4

Explain the argument relating to Baby Theresa, on the grounds that it is wrong to use people as means to other people's ends.

Back 4

1. It is wrong to use people as means to other people's ends.
2. Taking Baby Theresa's organs would be using her as a means to other people's ends (specifically, as a means to benefiting the other infants).
--------------------------------------------
Taking Baby Theresa's organs would be wrong.

Front 5

Explain the argument relating to Baby Theresa, on the grounds that it is wrong to kill others. (Rachel's 3rd edition)

Back 5

1. It is wrong to kill one person to save another.
2. Taking Baby Theresa's organs would be killing her to save others.
-------------------------------------------
Taking Baby Theresa's organs would be wrong.

Front 6

Cultural relativism definition..

Back 6

....a concept that cultural norms and values derive their meaning within a specific social context.

Front 7

***CULTURAL RELATIVISM***

Recall claim 1 of Cultural Relativism. (M____ c_____)

Back 7

1. Different societies have different moral codes.

Front 8

***CULTURAL RELATIVISM***

Recall claim 2 of Cultural Relativism. (No c______ is b______ than another).

Back 8

There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than another.

Front 9

***CULTURAL RELATIVISM***

Recall claim 3 of Cultural Relativism. (No s____ s____)

Back 9

The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many.

Front 10

***CULTURAL RELATIVISM***

Recall claim 4 of Cultural Relativism. (U_____ t_____)

Back 10

There is no 'universal truth' in ethics - that is, there are no moral truths that hold for all peoples at all times.

Front 11

***CULTURAL RELATIVISM***

Recall claim 5 of Cultural Relativism. (W____ is r_____)

Back 11

The moral code of society determines what is right within that society.

Front 12

***CULTURAL RELATIVISM***

Recall claim 6 of Cultural Relativism. (A_______ of t________)

Back 12

It is mere arrogance for us to try to judge the conduct of other peoples. We should adopt an attitude of tolerance toward the practices of other cultures.

Front 13

What is the argument for cultural relativism? (3 premises) (Relates to m_____ c_____)

Back 13

1. Different cultures have different moral codes.
2. No culture can be wrong about its moral code.
3. If morality is a matter of objective truth then either all cultures have the same moral code or some cultures are wrong about their moral code.
----------------------------------------------
Therefore, there is no objective 'truth' in morality. Right and wrong are only matters of opinion, and opinions vary from culture to culture.

Front 14

What is the argument against cultural relativism? (2 Premises and Conclusion)

Back 14

1. If cultural relativism is true then there are certain moral judgements that we cannot make.
2. We want to make those moral judgements.
---------------------------------------------
Therefore, cultural relativism is not true.

Front 15

Is the argument against cultural relativism valid? Explain.

Back 15

NOT VALID. Premises do not support conclusion; 'want to' does not equal 'can.'

P2 would be denied.

Front 16

***ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM***

Explain the difference between 'facts of the matter' and 'moral facts'.

Back 16

FACT: The sentence 'snow is white' is true if and only is snow is actually white.

MORAL FACT: The sentence 'telling lies is wrong' is true if and only if telling lies is wrong.

Front 17

***ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM***

Is there such thing as 'facts of the matter' in the case of moral propositions?

Back 17

Ethical subjectivism says no.

There is no 'facts of the matter' which makes an action right or wrong; only facts concerning the feelings of approval or disapproval of the judger. (Hume's conclusion)

Front 18

The only ethical facts...

Back 18

...are those concerning the feeling of human beings.

Front 19

***GOD AS THE BASIS FOR MORALITY***

Explain what the divine command theory is..

Back 19

Most religions believe that God created the world for some purpose and has rules to promote that purpose.

Those rules define good and evil.

Front 20

'X is morally right' means...

Back 20

'X is commanded by God'

Front 21

'X is morally wrong' means...

Back 21

'X is forbidden by God.'

Front 22

State the three features of the advantages of the argument that god is the basis for morality.

Back 22

1) Immediately says why you should be good.
2) Makes morality entirely objective.
3) Lets you know how you find out what is right and wrong.

Front 23

State the (1) features of the disadvantages of the argument that god is the basis for morality.

Back 23

1) The problem of disbelievers.

Front 24

What was socrates question?

Back 24

(OPTION A) Is conduct right because the gods command it

OR

(OPTION B) Do the gods command it because its right?

Front 25

Why do we reject Option A? Is conduct right because the gods command it.

Back 25

Whatever is right about an action, telling the truth, for example, seems to have something to do with the intrinsic nature of that action.

Front 26

Why do we reject Option B? Do the gods command it because its right?

Back 26

Explains nothing. Why is it right?

Front 27

***Classical Utilititarianism***

'X is right' means...

Back 27

“Doing X will lead to the greatest happiness of the greatest number.”
�

Front 28

***Classical Utilititarianism***

'X is wrong' means...

Back 28

“Doing X will not lead to the greatest happiness of the greatest number.”
�

Front 29

In what way is classical utilitarianism measurable?

Back 29

Maximise “utility”
= usefulness
= the good;

“The good” = happiness, pleasure

Calculate maximal happiness = “right”
=All actions are in principle calculable;

Front 30

Objection 1 to classical utilitarianism?

Back 30

Classical Utilitarianism faces severe problems from its claim that there is only one good

Modification to more?
Calculation becomes very complex!
Loss of simple, intuitive appeal

Front 31

What is “right” is wider than just the consequences of an action:

Back 31

What is “right” is wider than just the consequences of an action:

Justice
Human rights

Some other intrinsic goods must be maximised without concern for consequences

Front 32

Objection 2, relating to Justice. Should we reject or accept?

Back 32

Justice: it may be “right” to punish an innocent person for the greater good

But this can’t be right

So, reject utilitarianism

Front 33

What is the argument relating to utilitarianism?

Back 33

1. If Utilitarianism is the standard used to evaluate actions then there will be many cases in which actions leading to injustice are considered to be right.
2. But actions leading to injustice cannot be right. ------------------------------------------------------
Therefore: Utilitarianism should not be our standard of morality.

Front 34

Defences to the argument relating to utilitarianism.

Back 34

P1 is false, because it doesn’t calculate consequences properly
Uncertainty
Long-term costs to the social order

Front 35

Rule Utilitarianism...

Back 35

individual actions are judged right or wrong by means of general moral rules

general moral rules are judged to be acceptable or not by the Principle of Utility, that is by whether or not they contribute to the greatest good of the greatest number.