Ethics and Moral Philosophy Quiz

Ethics and Morality

• Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the principles of conduct of an individual or group.
• It is derived from the Greek word "ethikos", meaning character, and is also known as moral philosophy.
• Ethics guides individuals in deciding what action to take, considering what is good or bad.

Ethical Principles

• Truthfulness/Honesty
• Loyalty
• Respect
• Fairness
• Integrity

Moral Development

• Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg studied moral development.
• Moral principles are guidelines that people live by to make sure they are doing the right thing.

Basics of Morality and its Importance

• Moral principles include honesty, fairness, and equality.
• Moral principles can be different for everyone, depending on how they were raised and what is important to them in life.

Types of Moral Principles

• Absolute Principle: Unchanging and universal, based on universal truths about human nature.
• Relative Principle: Change depending on the situation, based on personal opinions and circumstances.

Moral Standards

• Set of norms in society according to moral principles.
• Moral standards are laws or commands that allow or disallow actions.
• They are absorbed from family, friends, and various societal institutions.

Characteristics of Moral Standards

• Involve serious wrong and significant benefits.
• Ought to be preferred to other values.
• Not established by authority figures.
• Have the trait of universalizability.
• Based on impartial considerations.
• Associated with special emotions and vocabulary.

Non-Moral Standards

• Refers to standards by which we judge what is good or bad and right or wrong in a non-moral way.
• A matter of taste or preference.

Importance of Morality

• Helps us distinguish between right and wrong.
• Enables us to understand how to value what we hold sacred.
• Motivates us to do what is right without being lost in confusion.

Moral Dilemmas

• A difficult situation in which an individual is confronted to choose between two or more alternative actions to resolve the problem.
• A conflict situation in which the choice one makes causes a moral harm, which cannot be restlessly repaired.
• Examples: situations where every available choice is wrong.