Details Title: Ethics 1 Description: Midterm Total Flash Cards: 50 Created: 03/03/2009 19:39:40		New Users: To study from this flashcard set, or to create your own your own study flash cards, REGISTER HERE. Existing Users: CLICK HERE. Additional Philosophy Flashcards
Cards in this set: Term Sophists Definition performers; art of argumentation - wisdom = cleverness Term Metaphysics Definition thinking of what's real & what's not Term Epistemology Definition theory of knowledge; How you know what you know Term Plato's Republic: Thrasymachus Definition - Is it always better to be "just" than unjust? - What is "justice"? - "Might is Right" - Grand injustice = Greatness Successfully unjust people will always be better off than someone trying to be fair. (Ring of Gyges - background to argument) Term Plato's Republic: Socrates Response Definition All actions aim at an end. - Allegory of the Line (metaphysical claim) - Concrete objects > Matter; use of our senses i.e. desk (Body) - Abstract universals > Ideals; understanding; i.e. blue (Soul) - Allegory of the Cave: Virtue = Knowledge - The Good = The True = The Beautiful; infinite scope - Evil is a lack of "good;" product of our material needs - Realism vs. Nominalism Term Aristotle Definition All things aim at a good Term Telos; Teleology Definition the goals, purpose, intent, end Term A priori Definition knowledge prior to experience Term A posteriori Definition knowledge as a result of experience, after Term 3 Types of Life (According to Aristotle) Definition 1. Pleasure Seeking 2. Political/Community focused 3. Contemplative Term Golden Mean (Aristotle) Definition i.e. Cowardice (Deficiency) - Bravery (Good) - Rashness (Escess) Term Eudaimonia Definition happiness, well-being, flourishing Term Virtue (Aristotle) Definition - product of habit, voluntary acts - virtuous people take pleasure from doing virtuous acts - threshold of goods needed for happiness - we should seek $, honor, and pleasure b/c they make it easier to be virtuous - No pain No gain is OK but Pain in Vain is Bad - Need freedom (liberty) & resources to develop virtue - Deal with anger in a healthy way Term Akrasia Definition incontinence; lack of mastery (virtue) Term 2 Parts/Types of Akrasia Definition 1. Impetuosity - acting without thinking; no reasoning 2. Weakness - thinking but still messing up Term Universal Premise Definition Structured argument; an argument is valid when the premises used are true - If the argument is true, then the conclusion is true i.e. all humans are mortal, Socrates is human, therefore Socrates is mortal i.e. you ought to eat healthy food Term Particular Premise Definition i.e. chocolate cake is good Term Friendship (Aristotle) Definition - Pleasure - Usefulness - Virtue "friend" becomes part of self; i.e. a parent's joy with child's accomplishments Term Consequentialism Definition studying ethics in terms of cause & effect; an act or rule; predicting future Term Branches of Consequentialism Definition - Utilitarianism - based on pain & pleasure - Preference based - people tend to know what they want Term Deontology Definition (Duty, core principles, morally binding) - Kant - Respect - Ross - Non-consequentialism Term Utility Definition anything that prevents pain, promotes pleasure Term Utilitarianism Definition only focuses on 2 types of consequences: - amount of pleasure - amount of pain - Bentham & Mill Term Bentham Definition - virtuous choice will always be most pleasurable, if not right away then eventually - Utility doesn't need to be explained, it just "is" \> Like geometry & a triangle, it just is what it is - wanted to provide a rational basis for identifying & justifying widespread reforms - Single moral standard = principle of utility Term Utilitarianism Definition defines the moral rightness or wrongness of an act, rule, principle, or policy in terms of the balance in each case of good or bad Consequences - Any act or institution is good if and only if it tends to produce the greatest amount of happiness Term Principle of Utility Definition - Fundamental - Uncontestable - No other motive as determinative - Quantity, Not quality (Intensity, Duration, Certainty, Propinquity, Fecundity, Purity, Extent) Term 3 Rivals to Utilitarianism Definition 1. Asceticism - avoid pleasure, b/c the pursuit of pleasure can cause pain. i.e. using drugs leads to addiction & pain/problems 2. Theological Objection - "Divine Command Theory of Ethics" - we know what's right/wrong b/c we know what God wants i.e. murder is wrong b/c God says so 3. Sympathy / Antipathy - (Hume) Emotivism - "Hurray! Boo!" - moral passions; we don't like stealing, therefore we don't do it (Based on emotional response instead of consequences) Term Mill Definition - Mental pleasures are of a higher quality - Known by experience - Life of the mind is most important; ever-lasting; more quality than physical pleasures - It is better to be SOcrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied (Quality) - Egoism - lacks mental stimulation; fewer mental pleasures - We need mental pleasures to move from individualistic pleasure-seeking to linking the whole, pleasure received by many people Term Econ/Pol; Edu/Culture (Mill) Definition Ought to link self to the whole - self promotion can promote others/society - opposite of egoism, "I" > "We" Term Act Utilitarianism Definition based on each moment; Maximizes pleasure/minimizing pain Term Rule Utilitarianism Definition based on generally followed rules Term Rule Worship Definition (Valentyne) turning the rule into something that isn't moral Term One-rule Utilitarianism Definition a.k.a. Act Utilitarianism; maximize Pleasure, minimize Pain Term Multiple-rule Utilitarianism Definition a.k.a. Rule Utilitarianism Term Preference Utility Definition (vs. Perfectionist) - i.e. Smoking; caffeine addiction - what we want to do Term Perfectionist Utility Definition (vs. Preference) - what maximizes pleasure, minimizes pain - Not necessarily someone's preference (i.e. people can have a preference to steal but that isn't the best >> Not stealing is Perfectionist) Term Objections to Consequentialism Definition - Quantifiability - How? Can't be done. - Interpersonal Comparisons - Insensitivity to individuals Term Maximizing vs. Satisficing (Conequentialism) Definition Satisficing sets up a threshold; maximizing is doing all you can to get more/the most Term Constrained (Consequentialism) Definition there are some things we just don't do Term Kant - Practical Reason Definition - What do I do? - Not always a promoter of happiness; our ability to reason is valuable in and of itself Term reasons vs. Reason (Kant) Definition (Consequentialism vs. Non-consequentialism) - the pursuit of happiness is different from morality Term Hypothetical Imperatives Definition (Kant) - Skill - tested on efficiency - Prudence - Term Categorical Imperative(s) Definition (Kant) - applies at all times, all places - Kant believes there is only 1. Term Kant's idea of "Law of Nature" Definition Maxims - Act only on that maxim you could also will as a universal law. Term Steps to Test a Maxim Definition 1. State the Maxim 2. Universalize the Maxim 3. Ask if it's possible? 4. Imagine such a world 5. Is it desirable? Term Kant's Principle of Humanity Definition ACt such that you treat all persons (including yourself) as an end-in-itself and never as a mere means (not to be used) Term 4 Examples of Principle of Humanity Definition 1. Suicide 2. Loans - (with no intention to pay back) (Perfect duties - can be fulfilled) 3. Culture - duty to develop your talents 4. Charity (Imperfect duties) Term Autonomy Definition self-control is attainable if you are moral Term Heteronomy Definition external causes pull you around - Utilitarianistic Term Good will (Kant) Definition the only thing that is good in and of itself (Good intentioned >> value reason)