PSY1HAE: Week 10

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Questions and Answers

What is a major difficulty associated with consequentialism?

It can be difficult to evaluate the moral worth of individuals.

It neglects the importance of intentions behind actions.

It can be hard to anticipate the consequences of our actions. (correct)

It leads to the belief that actions are always justified.

Utilitarianism may justify harm to individuals for what reason?

For the sake of moral integrity.

To reduce personal suffering.

To promote individual rights.

For the greater good of the majority. (correct)

Which philosopher argued that animals should be considered to have souls and feelings?

Darwin

Schweitzer

Voltaire (correct)

Regan

According to Darwin, what attribute do animals share with humans?

The capacity for reasoning and moral significance. Signup and view all the answers

Schweitzer's radical view of animal rights proposes what concept?

All living organisms share the same moral status. Signup and view all the answers

Tom Regan’s deontological approach advocates for what regarding animals?

Their inclusion in moral conversations due to inherent value. Signup and view all the answers

What is a concern regarding granting absolute rights to animals?

It might complicate the determination of animal needs. Signup and view all the answers

Deontological reasoning in relation to animals struggles with which dilemma?

Eliminating all forms of animal exploitation. Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason most people do not face life-or-death decisions about human vs. animal suffering?

It is rare for individuals to have control over such decisions. Signup and view all the answers

Why can consequentialism lead to ethical conflicts regarding individual harm?

It can disregard the impact on minority groups. Signup and view all the answers

What does normative ethics primarily seek to do?

Establish, compare, and evaluate norms of conduct Signup and view all the answers

Which concept emphasizes that moral standards are concerned with serious consequences to others' welfare?

Moral standards Signup and view all the answers

What is a key issue when discussing capital punishment as a moral issue?

The justification of justice and retribution Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of ethical relativism?

It relies on authority figures to dictate moral decisions Signup and view all the answers

How does utilitarianism view the suffering of humans compared to animals?

Human interests should be prioritized over animal suffering Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes speciesism?

Treating animals as less important than humans Signup and view all the answers

What is a goal of moderate animal advocacy groups?

Advocating for humane treatment of animals Signup and view all the answers

What do moral theorists use to enhance moral reasoning?

Moral dilemmas Signup and view all the answers

What is an implication of the argument against ethical relativism?

Cultural acceptance does not equate to moral correctness Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best exemplifies applied ethics?

Evaluating the moral implications of animal testing Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Moral Systems

Ethics is a branch of philosophy focused on understanding right and wrong human actions.
Normative ethics establishes, evaluates, and compares moral standards.
Applied ethics applies those moral theories to practical moral problems.
Moral standards are distinct due to their concern for serious consequences impacting the welfare of others.
Moral standards typically take priority over other standards.
Their validity relies solely on the reasons used to support them.
Capital punishment is a moral issue due to its effect on criminals, their families, and the wider community.
Arguments for and against capital punishment invoke values like justice, retribution, and the inherent value of human life.

Ethical Relativism

Ethical relativism involves making moral decisions based on what an authority figure says.
Some cultures practice child labor, animal torture, and bear bile extraction, practices considered morally wrong in other cultures.
Ethical relativism disregards the importance of questioning practices even if culturally accepted.

Moral Reasoning

Moral theorists use moral dilemmas to engage moral reasoning.
Utilitarianism prioritizes human interests, citing their greater capacity for sophisticated suffering.
Humans can foresee harm and suffer knowing others are enduring it.
Harming a human can cause more harm to other humans, especially family and friends.
Utilitarianism permits harming a human if their suffering would be less than an animal's in a specific context.
Speciesism: Treating animals as different and less important than humans.

Animal Advocacy and Utilitarianism

Moderate animal advocacy groups promote humane treatment of animals, including ending factory farming and animal testing.
Animal welfare rules are intended to be independent of laws and religion to avoid ethical relativism.

Consequentialism and Utilitarianism

Consequentialism, or utilitarianism, proposes that we should prioritize the consequences of our actions to determine what matters.
Challenges:
- Predicting the consequences of our actions can be difficult.
- Determining what consequences matter is challenging.
- Focusing solely on overall consequences can justify significant harm to individuals.

Moral Dilemmas and Human vs Animal Suffering

The example of a pregnant teenager highlights moral dilemmas.
Utilitarianism can lead to conclusions where the greater good for most justifies harm to individuals.
The example of testing pain relief drugs first on animals versus humans illustrates this conflict.
Humans can understand and consent to temporary pain, while animals cannot.
Balancing human and animal suffering in moral dilemmas is complex, often weighted too heavily in favor of humans.
Most individuals won't encounter life-or-death decisions involving human vs. animal suffering in their daily lives.

Descartes and Animal Rights

Descartes argued that humans possess souls, experience pain, and emotions since these are not directly observable.
Voltaire criticized Descartes' argument, suggesting that animals should also be considered to have souls and feel emotions based on their shared behavior with humans.

Darwin and Animal Rights

Darwin's theory of evolution provided evidence against a fundamental difference between humans and higher mammals.
According to Darwin, animals possess reasoning capabilities and share morally significant traits with humans.

Schweitzer's Radical View of Animal Rights

Schweitzer argued that all living organisms, including humans and animals, share the same moral status.
Humans have a heightened moral obligation to consider other life forms due to their capacity for reflection

The Deontological Approach to Animal Rights

Tom Regan's deontological approach argues for including animals in ethical considerations based on their inherent value as living, experiencing beings.
This argument suggests that animals deserve rights similar to humans because of their capacity to experience life.

Arguments Against Absolute Animal Rights

There are concerns about the practical implications of granting absolute animal rights, as it could lead to significant societal changes.
The argument against absolute animal rights highlights the difficulty in determining the needs and preferences of some animals.
The complex relationship between humans and animals makes it challenging to eliminate exploitation entirely.

Conclusion

Deontological reasoning applied to animal treatment presents a dilemma balancing human needs with moral obligations towards animals.
While eliminating all animal exploitation may be unrealistic, ethical approaches emphasize the importance of considering animals' well-being.

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Description

Explore the concepts of moral systems and ethical relativism in this quiz. Delve into normative ethics, applied ethics, and the moral implications of capital punishment. Review key arguments surrounding moral standards and their cultural variations.