24 Questions
What is the primary focus of etiquette?
Right and wrong actions
What is the main difference between morals and ethics?
Morals refer to acts and thoughts, while ethics refer to philosophy or study
What is a moral dilemma?
A decision between two moral goods or the lesser of two moral evils
What is the primary focus of aesthetics?
Personal approval or disapproval of sensory experiences
What is descriptive ethics?
Reports how people make their moral valuations without making judgments for or against these valuations
What is normative ethics?
The study of what we ought to maintain as our moral standards
What is a moral issue?
Any issue that concerns ethics
What is a moral judgment?
An assessment of someone's behavior or action
According to the law, what is it that primarily guides our actions?
Constraining us from performing certain acts
What is an advantage of taking religion as a basis for ethics?
It offers a set of commands and a Supreme Authority to compel obedience
What is the core idea behind Euthyphro's question?
Is an act holy because it is loved by the gods, or is it loved by the gods because it is holy?
What is a challenge with Cultural Relativism?
It is difficult to define a single, clearly defined culture
What is a key issue with the idea that killing is wrong only because God commanded it?
It implies that there are no standards of right and wrong independent of God
According to Cultural Relativism, what is the primary basis for moral judgment?
Cultural norms and values
What is a key feature of moral judgment under Cultural Relativism?
Moral judgments are relative to one's culture
What is a consequence of accepting that killing is inherently wrong?
We accept that there are standards of right and wrong that refer to independently of God
What is the primary role of promises of rewards and threats of punishments in moral decision making?
They motivate us to act, but do not determine the moral quality of the action
What is the primary function of a moral principle?
To justify and maintain moral decisions and judgments
What is the primary characteristic of a moral theory?
It is a framework for evaluating moral decisions and judgments
What is the primary benefit of using law as a basis for ethics?
It provides an objective standard for moral behavior
What is the primary role of moral valuation in moral decision making?
To determine the rightness or wrongness of an action
What is the primary difference between positive law and moral principles?
Positive law is based on rewards and punishments, while moral principles are based on reasons and justification
What is the primary purpose of moral frameworks and theories?
To evaluate and justify moral decisions and judgments
What is the primary way to determine if an action is right or wrong?
By considering the moral principles and reasons that justify the action
Study Notes
Ethics: Valuation and Value of Judgments
- Ethics deals with what is acceptable and unacceptable in human behavior, focusing on good and bad things that we should pursue or avoid.
- Aesthetics involves personal approval or disapproval judgments about what we see, hear, smell, or taste.
- Etiquette is concerned with right and wrong actions.
- Technique refers to a proper way of doing things, derived from the Greek word "techne".
Morals and Ethics
- Morals refer to specific beliefs, attitudes, or acts, while ethics is the discipline of studying and understanding ideal human behavior and thinking.
- Ethics tends to refer to the philosophy or study, whereas morals focus on acts and thoughts.
Descriptive vs Normative Ethics
- Descriptive ethics reports on how people make moral valuations without making judgments for or against these valuations.
- Normative ethics prescribes what we ought to maintain as our standards.
Four Levels of Moral Understanding:
- Moral decisions: confronting choices of what moral actions to perform.
- Moral judgment: assessing actions or behaviors of others.
- Moral dilemma: deciding between two moral goods or the lesser of two moral evils.
- Moral issue: any issue that concerns ethics.
Reasoning
- Fear of punishment and desire for reward can motivate us to act, but they are not determinants of rightness or wrongness.
- Moral valuation can be based on principles beyond rewards and punishments.
- Principles are rationally established grounds for justifying and maintaining moral decisions and judgments.
Moral Theory
- A moral theory is a systematic attempt of thought or ideas, providing a framework for evaluating reasons behind valuing certain decisions or judgments.
Source of Authority
- Law serves as a guide to ethical behavior, providing an objective standard that is obligatory and applicable to all.
- Positive law refers to the rules and regulations put forward by an authority figure that require compliance.
Law and Ethics
- The law constrains us from performing acts that we should not do, rather than telling us what to pursue.
- The law cannot tell us what to pursue, only what to avoid.
Religion and Ethics
- Taking religion as a basis of ethics provides a set of commands and a Supreme Authority that can inspire and compel obedience.
- Euthyphro's idea: what is holy is loved by the gods, but is it holy because it is loved by the gods, or is it holy in itself?
Culture Relativism
- What is ethically acceptable or unacceptable is relative to one's culture.
- Cultural relativism acknowledges that there are no universal standards of right and wrong, and that we are in no position to judge other cultures or even our own.
Explore the basics of ethics, including valuation, morals, and aesthetic judgment. Learn about the differences between ethics, morals, etiquette, and technique.
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