Term
|
Definition
| the philosophical study of moral values and rules |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An argument is a set of statements where at least one of those statements is claimed to be supported in a rational way by the others. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An argument's conclusion is the statement that the rest of the statements in the argument are claimed to support. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A premise is one of the statements given in support of an argument's conclusion. In an argument, the premises, taken together, are claimed to support the conclusion. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In a valid argument, the truth of the argument's premises would guarantee that the argument's conclusion is true. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A sound argument is an argument that (1) is valid, and (2) is such that all of its premises are true. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A fallacy is an error or defect in reasoning. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In ethics, relativism is the view that all moral claims (like "Murder is wrong," for instance) are true or false relative to a particular person, perspective, culture, set of beliefs, etc. There are no "absolutely" true or false moral claims. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| According to ethical egoism, how one ought to act is determined only by what is good for oneself, or by what is in one's own self-interest. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| According to consequentialism, how one ought to act is determined by the future consequences of one's actions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A deontological ethical theory is one based on duty. (The term means the same as 'duty-based'.) How one ought to act is governed by one's duties, and acting in a way inconsistent with one's duties is morally wrong. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| How the world ought to be. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| How the world happens to be. |
|
|
Term
Normative or Descriptive?
1. Millions of people died during World War II.
2. Israel’s bombing and invasion of Lebanon has killed over a thousand people.
3. It was morally acceptable for Israel to invade Lebanon.
4. Some people believe it was morally a |
|
Definition
1.D
2.D
3.N
4.D
5.N
6.D
7.D
8.D
9.N
10.N |
|
|
Term
Valid? Sound?
(P1) If today is Tuesday, then I’ll go to the beach
today.
(P2) Today is Tuesday.
_______________
(C) I’ll go to the beach today. |
|
Definition
1. Valid
2. Sound if today is tuesday. |
|
|
Term
Valid? Sound?
(P1) If Dennis is Satan, then everyone in PHIL
318 will fail.
(P2) Dennis is Satan.
_______________
(C) Everyone in PHIL 318 will fail. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Valid? Sound?
(P1) A corporation has the right to use its
property as it sees fit.
(P2) The employees of a corporation are the
property of that corporation.
_______________
(C) A corporation may treat its employees as it
sees fit. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Valid? Sound?
(P1) Killing a person is morally wrong.
(P2) A fetus is a person.
(P3) Abortion is the act of killing a fetus.
_______________
(C) Abortion is morally wrong. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
If an argument is such that…
…the truth of its premises would guarantee that
its conclusion is true, |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
If an argument is such that…
…the truth of its premises would |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Arguments for moral theorie |
|
Definition
These are arguments in favor of general views on the nature of morality itself—views on what it is
that makes something morally right or morally wrong. |
|
|
Term
| Arguments for specific normative claims |
|
Definition
These are arguments in favor of specific claims concerning the moral status of something or
other—that something is morally right or wrong, or that something is morally acceptable or not. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
• [Uttered in the South in the 1830’s] “Slavery is the way things are, so that’s the way things ought
to be.”
• Lots of people share insider information. So there’s nothing wrong with insider trading.
• Energy companies manipulate electricity markets all the time. They’ve been doing it for years.
So there’s nothing wrong with it. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
• Lying isn’t illegal. So lying isn’t morally wrong.
• None of the executives from Arthur Andersen have been convicted of any crimes with respect to
the Enron scandal. So, they didn’t do anything morally wrong in that case. |
|
|
Term
| The slippery slope fallacy |
|
Definition
• Don’t start drinking coffee. If you start drinking coffee, soon you’ll start smoking, since nicotine
and caffeine are similar in chemical composition. But smoking cigarettes can lead to smoking
marijuana. Marijuana is a gateway drug, and can lead to heavier drug use of things like cocaine
and LSD. Those drugs wreck people’s lives, and such drug users often wind up in prison. If you
don’t want to wind up in prison with your life wrecked, don’t start drinking coffee.
• If we accept any sort of mercy killing, we will have stepped onto a “slippery slope” down which
we will inevitably slide, and in the end all life will be held cheap. Where will we draw the line? If
Tracy Latimer’s life is not worth protecting, what about other disabled people? What about the
elderly, the infirm, and other “useless” members of society (Rachels, EMP Ch. 1, p. 10)? |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Ethical relativism -- the (non-normative) view that ethical claims are true only relative to a
particular culture, perspective, set of beliefs, etc. On this view, there are no absolute
truths about ethical matters. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Ethical absolutism—the view that ethical claims are true independently of particular cultures,
perspectives, sets of beliefs, etc. On this view, there are absolute truths about ethical
matters. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Cultural relativism—the (normative) view that how one ought to act is determined by one’s
own culture or community’s views on how one ought to act. |
|
|
Term
Arguments for ethical relativism
Argument 1: The argument from differences of opinion (or the argument from cultural
differences). |
|
Definition
(P1) There are different communities of human beings, and there are differences between
those communities with respect to what is believed about how one ought to act. (e.g., the
Callatians and the Greeks)
_______________
(C) There are no absolute truths of morality—all moral truths are true relative to particular
cultures or perspectives. |
|
|
Term
Arguments for ethical relativism
Argument 2: The argument from tolerance |
|
Definition
(P1) One ought to be tolerant of the views of other people, and of other communities.
(P2) Being tolerant requires that some form of ethical relativism is true.
_______________
(C) Some form of ethical relativism is true. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| One ought to pursue one’s own self-interest exclusively. |
|
|
