Concepts (?)

Consequentialism

An ethical theory that evaluates morality by examining a person's actions and their consequences.

Consequentialist Moral Action

An action expected to produce useful or generally positive outcomes that contribute to human and animal well-being.

Major Forms of Consequentialism

Utilitarianism, Rule Consequentialism, Act Utilitarianism, and Ethical Altruism.

Utilitarianism

An ethical theory that seeks to maximize pleasure and minimize pain, making happiness and reduced suffering the basis of moral action.

Utilitarian Goal

To maximize happiness, minimize suffering, and achieve the greatest overall good.

Utilitarianism and Intentions

Outcomes are considered more important than intentions.

Rule Consequentialism

An approach in which decisions are guided by ethical rules or legal systems whose rules are accepted because they produce the best possible outcomes.

Rule Consequentialism and Law

Rule consequentialism is commonly reflected in lawmaking and law enforcement.

Act Utilitarianism

An approach that evaluates each situation individually and considers an action moral when it produces at least as much happiness as any alternative.

Act Utilitarianism and Consequences

Moral decisions depend on comparing the possible consequences of each available action.

Ethical Altruism

An ethical theory focused on the happiness and well-being of other people rather than the moral agent.

Ethical Altruism and Self-Sacrifice

Personal happiness may be sacrificed for the good of others.

Shared Goal of Consequentialism

Moral actions are evaluated according to their consequences, and the preferred action is the one that produces the greatest overall benefit.

Two Essential Questions in Ethics

Why do people act? and How do people act?

Normative Ethics

The branch of ethics that focuses on why people act and examines the principles behind human actions.

Normative Ethics' Purpose

To determine the most moral, correct, and just course of action.

Descriptive Ethics

The branch of ethics that focuses on how people actually behave and distinguishes what people ought to do from what they actually do.

Normative Ethics vs. Descriptive Ethics

Normative ethics studies moral principles and how people should act, while descriptive ethics studies actual behavior and how people actually act.

Applied Ethics

The study of how ethical principles are applied in real situations and how people reason through ethical decisions.

Descriptive Ethics and Society

Descriptive ethics is closely related to psychology, anthropology, and sociology and explains how accepted moral standards influence laws.

Metaethics

The study of the foundation and source of ethical principles and moral beliefs.

Metaethics' Questions

Metaethics considers why people choose one course of action over another and explores ideas such as divine intervention, universal truths, and reason.

Peter Singer on Descriptive Ethics

Different cultures can be expected to develop different kinds of ethics.

Goal of Utilitarianism

To pursue the greatest possible happiness and make overall happiness the basis for evaluating consequences.

Applying Utilitarianism

Utilitarian decisions require predicting consequences, judging outcomes, practicing impartiality, and focusing on universal happiness rather than personal preference.