Exam 1-PHL256 (copy)

Metaethics

Metaethics

The nature of morality in general

Normative ethics

Trying to identify the correct norms or rules for guiding conduct

Applied ethics

The application of moral rules to particular issues

Teleological theory

Define right/wrong based on the consequences of your actions

Deontological theory

Tell the truth regardless of your consequences

Utilitarianism

Right = maximizes good consequences for group (the most)

Ethical egoism

Right = maximizes good consequences for yourself

Divine command theory

Right = fulfill your duties you have as a result of the commands of the divine

Natural law theory

Right = fulfill your duties as they are revealed in the workings of nature

Social contract theory

Right = fulfill the duties you have as a result of social contracts, promises, agreements, commitments and roles

Kantianism

Right = fulfill the duties you have as a result of being a rational being

Moral relativism

The view that right and wrong are a function of someone’s attitudes

Cultural relativism

Right = whatever reflects the attitudes of one’s cultures

Ethical subjectivism

Right = whatever reflects the attitudes of one’s self

Virtue ethics

Agent-oriented theory, focus: you, your character. Central question: who should I be/become?

What is the difference between a descriptive claim and a prescriptive claim?

A descriptive claim is what a person DOES do, a prescriptive claim is what a person SHOULD do

Are moral judgements descriptive or are they prescriptive?

Descriptive

What is the difference between metaethics and applied ethics?

Metaethics- The nature of morality in general

Applied ethics- The application of moral rules to particular issues

Give an example of an applied ethics question and a corresponding metaethical question

Is waterboarding immoral?

What does “immoral” mean?

How are cultural relativism and ethical subjectivism similar?

They are similar because they both define right in terms of attitudes

How are cultural relativism and ethical subjectivism different?

They are different because one uses the culture’s attitudes and one uses the individual's attitudes

How are ethical subjectivism and ethical egoism similar?

They are similar because they both define right in terms of the self

How are ethical subjectivism and ethical egoism different?

They are different because ES defines right in terms of attitudes of the self (what you like) and EE defines right in terms of the consequences for one's self, what’s good for you

How are cultural relativism and social contract theory similar?

They are similar because they both determine right in terms of others/group/society/many

How are cultural relativism and social contract theory different?

They are different because CR checks the attitudes of the group and SCT checks the agreement of the group

How are utilitarianism and social contract theory similar?

They are similar because they both define right in terms of the group

How are utilitarianism and social contract theory different?

They are different because SCT is going to check the contract with the group. Utilitarianism will check the consequences of the group

What is the difference between act-oriented ethics and agent-oriented ethics?

Act-oriented focus on the same questions, focus on and judge your behavior. Agent-oriented focuses on your character

How is psychological egoism different from ethical egoism? Which one is a prescriptive

theory? Which one is a descriptive theory?

PE: people are selfish by nature; it is impossible for them to behave unselfishly

PE is descriptive

Ethical Egoism is a prescriptive theory

What is the “ought implies can” principle?

To tell someone they ought to do something is to thereby imply that the can do it, it is unfair to require the impossible

Present the psychological egoist’s argument in defense of ethical egoism (PE + OIC implies EE)

1. PE: people are selfish by nature; it is impossible for them to behave unselfishly.

+

2. OIC: To tell someone they ought to do something is to thereby imply that the can do it, it is unfair to require the impossible

=

EE is the only fair moral theory. Every other theory tells you to be unselfish and YOU CAN’T

Is Ayn Rand a psychological egoist? Explain Rand’s argument in favor of ethical egoism.

What are some potential problems with ethical egoism?

1. EE is arbitrary, because, for no good reason, emphasizes the well-being of a single individual rather than the well-being of more/the most people

2. EE is impractical, because no one can ever calculate all of the consequences of their action in time to act on the calculation

3. EE appears to make it impossible to ever know that something is right/wrong, because it is impossible to ever know all of the consequences of one’s actions

4. Counter-intuitive, because it produces judgments that violate our pre-existing moral intuitions.  For example, it produces judgments like it would be morally right to use puppies or babies as stepping stones to avoid getting your own shoes dirty in the puddles

What does the “principle of utility” say?

We should act always so as to produce the greatest good for the greatest number

What makes an action right, according to a utilitarian?

If it maximizes good consequences for the group

Describe some of the formulations of the trolley through experiment intended to help determine whether utilitarianism is true

• Switch

  • Flip: switch, kill one

  • Don’t flip, kill 5

• Bridge

  • Push guy off, kill one

  • Don't push guy off, kill 5

What are some of the reasons utilitarianism can be difficult to put into practice?

Fails to take into account considerations of justice. We can imagine instances where a certain course of action would produce great benefits for society, but they would be clearly unjust

What does it mean to say that a moral theory is counterintuitive? Try to provide a clear-cut example of a counterintuitive implication of utilitarianism

Counter-intuitive, because it produces judgments that violate our pre-existing moral intuitions.  For example, it produces judgments like it would be morally right to use puppies or babies as stepping stones to avoid getting your own shoes dirty in the puddles

Which is the branch of ethics that attempts to understand the nature of morality in general?

Metaethics

Which of the following is a teleological theory?

A. divine command theory

B. utilitarianism

B. Utilitarianism

Deontological theories define “right” and “wrong” in terms of:

A. fulfillment of one’s duties

B. consequences of one’s actions

A. fulfillment of one’s duties

“Was it wrong to send inert grenades to incoming new Congress members as a greeting?” is an example of:

A. a metaethical question

B. an applied ethical question

B. an applied ethical question

“What does ‘wrong’ mean"?” is an example of:

A. an applied ethical question

B. a metaethical question

B. a metaethical question

Which of the following is a deontological theory?

A. Kantianism

B. ethical egoism

A. Kantianism

Which of the following is a relativistic theory?

A. ethical egoism

B. ethical subjectivism

B. ethical subjectivism

Moral relativists define “right” and “wrong” in terms of:

A. consequences of individual actions

B. attitudes

B. attitudes

Which of the following theories defines “right” in terms of the fulfillment of duties?

A. utilitarianism

B. natural law theory

B. natural law theory

Which of the following theories define morality in terms of fulfilling one’s promises and commitments?

A. ethical subjectivism

B. social contract theory

B. social contract theory

Which of the following is true?

A. Psychological egoism is a descriptive theory

B. a moral theory is a descriptive theory

A. Psychological egoism is a descriptive theory

Which of the following is true?

A. a descriptive theory tries to report what we actually do

B. a descriptive theory tries to report what we should do

A. a descriptive theory tries to report what we actually do

Which of the following metaethical theories would the following objection most likely be aimed: “This theory results in moral judgments that violate our institutions about what’s right. For example, this theory says that it is right for you to start civil unrest, even riot in the community as long as doing so produces the best outcome for you personally.”

A. utilitarianism

B. ethical egoism

B. ethical egoism

Which of the following is psychological egoism?

A. People can only be selfish

B. People should only be selfish

A. People can only be selfish

According to the “ought implies can” principle:

A. it is unfair to require of people what’s impossible for them to do

B. people are selfish by nature

A. it is unfair to require of people what’s impossible for them to do

According to the psychological egoist’s argument in favor of ethical egoism, we should be selfish because:

A. that is all we are capable of being anyway

B. that is what brings about a happier world for as many people as possible

C. that is the most efficient way and effective way to protect and enhance what has intrinsic value, namely, the individual self

D. that is what our culture is likely to approve of

A. that is all we are capable of being anyway

The trolley problem thought experiment we talked about in class us designed to test whether people generally support which moral theory?

A. ethical egoism

B. utilitarianism

B. utilitarianism

The parachute thought experiment we talked about in class is designed to test whether people generally support which moral theory?

A. ethical egoism

B. utilitarianism

A. ethical egoism

According to the studies in moral psychology cited in the video that we watched, which version of the trolley though experiment causes more people to intervene to try to save more lives?

A. the “pull the lever” version of the thought experiment

B. the “push" the guy off the bridge” version of the thought experiment

A. the “pull the lever” version of the thought experiment

According to those same studies in moral psychology, which version of the thought experiment feels to people more like “making someone die” as opposed to “letting someone die?”

A. the “pull the lever” version of the thought experiment

B. the “push" the guy off the bridge” version of the thought experiment

B. the “push" the guy off the bridge” version of the thought experiment

Common criticisms of Utilitarianism-

1. Counter-intuitive

2. Violates our deeply held fundamental moral intuitions

3. Impractical

   1. Requires an impossible calculation

4. Requires definition of  “group”

5. Who counts in the group?

6. All people?

7. Only people?

8. Future people?