Descriptive Morality Explained: Ethics Classification Quiz and Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary aim of this chapter?

To assess the relevance of archaic ethical systems

To illustrate how ethical systems are arranged (correct)

To provide a historical account of ethical systems

To compare the usefulness of different ethical systems

Why is Arthur Rich's classification of ethical systems preferred?

Because it is based on historical periods

Because it relies on neoethical interests (correct)

Because it categorizes systems into philosophical, religious, archaic and modern categories

Because it ignores cultural and social factors

What is the focus of descriptive ethics?

Evaluating the morality of customs and traditions

Comparing the ethics of different cultures

Developing a universal moral code

Describing the ethos of nations, religious groups, and social groups (correct)

What type of science is descriptive ethics considered to be?

Empirical science Signup and view all the answers

According to Arthur Rich, what is descriptive ethics a discipline about?

Morality and ethics Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of descriptive ethics?

To describe what is considered moral or immoral across different cultures and societies Signup and view all the answers

According to Friedo Ricken, what is descriptive ethics a discipline about?

Morals and their impact on human culture Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of descriptive ethics in business ethics?

Examining the ethos of companies and consumers Signup and view all the answers

What does descriptive ethics explore in relation to moral values?

The factors behind the transformation of moral values Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of an economy that thrives in a morally cleaner society?

Low legal costs Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of values in business ethics?

To provide a basis for ethical codes and corporate culture Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between the European and American approaches to business ethics?

Europe seeks justifications, while America makes values part of everyday business life Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of freedom in business ethics?

It is a necessary condition for ethical decision-making Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the values in business ethics and the 'golden rule'?

They are closely related Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of understanding values in business ethics?

To develop basic ethical competencies Signup and view all the answers

What does Thomas Ng's definition of business ethics emphasize?

The moral implications of business situations and activities Signup and view all the answers

What is the view of some economists, including Bernard Mandeville, on ethics in economics?

Ethics is an oxymoron in the context of economics Signup and view all the answers

What is the main argument of Bernard Mandeville's poem, Fable of the Bees?

That individual vices lead to economic benefits for society Signup and view all the answers

What is the perspective of Tomáš Sedláček on the role of ethics in economics?

Ethics will eventually be integrated into economic theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the view of Albert Carr on the relationship between business and ethics?

Business is a game, and ethics is an unnecessary component Signup and view all the answers

What is the nature of business ethics, according to Thomas Ng's definition?

A descriptive discipline based on metaethical analysis Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classification of Ethical Systems

The aim of this chapter is to illustrate how ethical systems are arranged, and their classification cannot be assessed chronologically.
Arthur Rich's classification proposes dividing ethical systems into three basic groups that can be further broken down into subgroups, based on neoethical interests.

Descriptive Ethics

The word "descriptive" originates from the Latin word "descriptio", meaning a drawing, sketch, or description.
Descriptive ethics describes customs, traditions, and behavior, focusing on the ethos of nations, religious groups, social groups, dominant cultures, and subcultures.
It is an empirical science that attempts to explain what "is" ethical, or what represents "moral" or "immoral" among certain groups, and how this impacts on the cultural context.
Descriptive ethics explores factors behind the transformation of ethical values or basic conditions that influence behavior and actions.
Friedo Ricken formulates descriptive ethics as a discipline about morals, comprising all statements, rules, actions, and institutions that determine human behavior and need to be further specified.

Goals of Descriptive Ethics

The goal of descriptive ethics is to achieve a moral and ethical outlook of all nations as the basic goal of research.
In business ethics, descriptive ethics examines the ethos of companies, consumers, company culture, decision-making culture, and redistribution of responsibilities.

Key Concepts

Neoethical interests: a basis for classifying ethical systems.
Ethos: customs, traditions, and behavior of a particular group or culture.
Moral: what is regarded as "right" or "wrong" among certain groups.
Empirical science: a scientific approach that relies on observation and experience.
Cultural context: the impact of moral projections on human culture.

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Description

Explore the classification of ethical systems, descriptive ethics, and its goals. Learn about the ethos of nations, religious groups, and social groups, and how it impacts the cultural context.