Consequentialism and Deontology Vocab Quiz

Dr. Vanderwilt PHILO HL2 2024

Duty

The guiding force that pushes us to act to fulfill moral laws. Doing something because it is the right thing to do.

Moral Obligation

The obligation to act in accordance with the categorical imperative.

Categorical Imperative

The singular moral law Kant said dictated what was right or wrong. To be applied to all rational beings due to their autonomy and inherent value as a rational being. Had three variations that provide more specific instruction.

Universalizability

The quality of being universizable as in universally applicable. “If everyone did this would it be good?”

Kingdom of Ends

A hypothetical reality in which everyone is both creators and subjects of moral law and each individuals treats every other as a means and not just an ends. Kant’s ideal.

Perfect Duties

Non-negotiable duties that must always be fulfilled no matter what. Failure to fulfill their duty is always blameworthy, like don’t steal, don’t murder, don’t lie.

Imperfect Duties

Negotiable duties that are sometimes right or wrong. Not always blameworthy to not fulfill the duty, like improving talents and helping others. A lot more flexible and not always right or wrong. There’s discretion involved.

Human as an end to himself

We ought to treat people with respect and in a way so as to take their wants and needs into account. Respect their dignity as rational free beings.

Version 1 of the Categorical Imperative

Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.

Version 2 of the Categorical imperative

Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means.

Version 3 of the Categorical imperative

Act according to maxims of a universally legislating member of a merely possible kingdom of ends.

Consequentialism

A moral framework in which an action is considered good or bad based off of its consequences.

Greatest Happiness Principle

The central tenet of Utilitarianism, the idea that our actions should be decided by what will cause the greatest amount of happiness while minimizing suffering for the greatest number of people.

Principle of Utility

An action’s rightness is determined by its utility to produce pleasure and not pain for people.

Happiness

Regarded as pleasure - pain for the TOTAL population.

Act Utilitarianism

A variation of utilitarianism that evaluates our actions based on their consequences adding or subtracting pleasure from the world.

Rule Utilitarianism

a form of utilitarianism that evaluates morality based on how it complies with rules that if generally followed would bring about the greatest good or least suffering.

Negative Utilitarianism

A variation of utilitarianism that focuses on minimizing suffering rather than maximizing pleasure.

Preference Utilitarianism

We ought to satisfy the preferences of people, giving them what they want.

Hedonism

You should just maximize pleasure no matter the long term costs or costs to others. Drugs, sex, and rock n roll are king.