Ethics Overview Quiz

Ethics

1. Normative Ethics

• Definition: The study of ethical action; it aims to establish standards or norms for behavior.
• Key Theories:
  • Deontological Ethics: Focuses on rules and duties. An action is moral if it adheres to a set of rules (e.g., Kantian ethics).
  • Consequentialism: Evaluates the morality of actions based on their outcomes (e.g., Utilitarianism, which seeks the greatest good for the greatest number).
  • Virtue Ethics: Centers on the character of the moral agent rather than rules or consequences; emphasizes virtues (e.g., courage, wisdom).
• Key Questions:
  • What actions are morally right or wrong?
  • What are the moral principles that govern behavior?

2. Applied Ethics

• Definition: The practical application of ethical theories to real-world issues and situations.
• Key Areas:
  • Medical Ethics: Focuses on ethical issues in healthcare (e.g., euthanasia, patient consent).
  • Business Ethics: Involves ethical practices in business contexts (e.g., corporate social responsibility, ethical sourcing).
  • Environmental Ethics: Examines moral relationship between humans and the environment (e.g., sustainability, animal rights).
  • Bioethics: Deals with ethical implications of biological research and applications (e.g., genetic engineering, reproductive rights).
• Key Questions:
  • How should ethical theories be applied in specific contexts?
  • What are the moral implications of certain decisions in various fields?

3. Meta-ethics

• Definition: The branch of ethics that explores the nature, meaning, and foundation of ethical concepts and judgments.
• Key Concepts:
  • Moral Realism vs. Anti-Realism: Debates whether moral facts exist independently of human beliefs.
  • Cognitivism vs. Non-Cognitivism: Discusses whether ethical statements can be true or false (cognitivism) or are merely expressions of emotions or attitudes (non-cognitivism).
  • Moral Relativism vs. Moral Absolutism: Examines whether morals are culture-dependent (relativism) or universal (absolutism).
• Key Questions:
  • What do we mean when we say something is "right" or "wrong"?
  • Are ethical statements objective or subjective?

Normative Ethics

• Involves establishing standards or norms for moral behavior.
• Deontological Ethics: Morality based on adherence to rules; prominent in Kantian ethics.
• Consequentialism: Assesses actions by their outcomes; Utilitarianism promotes the greatest good for the greatest number.
• Virtue Ethics: Focuses on the moral agent's character, highlighting virtues like courage and wisdom.
• Key inquiries include the identification of morally right or wrong actions and the principles that govern ethical behavior.

Applied Ethics

• Concerns the application of ethical theories to practical issues in various contexts.
• Medical Ethics: Addresses ethical dilemmas in healthcare, such as euthanasia and patient consent.
• Business Ethics: Explores ethical conduct in businesses, including corporate social responsibility and ethical sourcing.
• Environmental Ethics: Investigates the moral relationship between humans and the environment; topics include sustainability and animal rights.
• Bioethics: Examines the ethical issues arising from biological research, including genetic engineering and reproductive rights.
• Key questions focus on how ethical theories apply in specific scenarios and their moral implications in different fields.

Meta-ethics

• Explores the nature and foundation of ethical concepts and judgments.
• Moral Realism vs. Anti-Realism: Investigates whether moral facts exist independently of human beliefs.
• Cognitivism vs. Non-Cognitivism: Discusses the truth or falsity of ethical statements versus them being mere emotional expressions.
• Moral Relativism vs. Moral Absolutism: Looks at whether morality is determined by cultural context versus being universally applicable.
• Key questions pertain to the meaning of "right" or "wrong" and the objectivity or subjectivity of ethical statements.