Term
| deontological ethical theories |
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Definition
Theories which define ethical obligation in terms of duty as opposed to achievement ofdesirable consequences or qualities of character. Consequences and good character are said to be irrelevant to the
determination of ethical or moral obligation. |
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Term
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Definition
| It is the view or theory that moral obligation is fiated by God or is an expression of God's will. |
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Term
| Kant's Categorical Imperative (a) 1st formulation |
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Definition
Kant's Categorical Imperative (a) 1st formulation: "I ought never to act except in such a way that I can also will that
my maxim should become a universal law," or alternately, "do not do x if the universal doing of x would make it
impossible for you to do x. (b) 2nd formulation: "Treat every person as an end and never simply as a means". |
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Term
ineffability and noetic quality as necessary conditions of a mystical
experience |
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Definition
(1) Ineffability: the subject of the experience cannot put his or her
experience into words, no matter how good a wordsmith the
subject is (e.g. try describing the difference between red and green
to someone who’s red/green colorblind). In order to understand the
experience, you must have that experience first-hand.
(2) Noetic quality: The mystical states, when experienced, seem to
be states of knowledge. They are states when great insights and
revelations are experienced. Yet, again, these insights cannot be
articulated to others without them having the experience firsthand. |
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Term
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Definition
The description of the moral practices or morality of some individual or group. As a discipline it is
part of the social sciences. |
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Term
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Definition
| The attribution of human characteristics to non-humans—Gods, nature, or animals. |
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Term
| the teleological argument or the argument from design for God's existence: |
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Definition
| The universe is structured and purposeful, so it must have been created by a cognitive agency, and that agent is God. |
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Term
| Kant’s 1st formulation of the “Categorical Imperative” (Odell’s version) |
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Definition
Never do anything the universal doing of which makes you not able to do it |
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Term
| existence precedes essence |
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Definition
We exist, and then we define ourselves. No prior plan existed either in the mind of God or in the makeup of the universe. (Sartre) |
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Term
| Distinction between "the way" and "the attainment" |
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Definition
Oriental mysticism: Odell's criticism of Nagel Nagel believes that oriental mystics cannot escape absurdity. This is the way to enlightenment. The attainment is the acutal experience and achievement of Nirvana. These experiences are self-justifying. |
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