Character Education: Basic Concepts of Morality and Ethics

This flashcard set covers the basic concepts of morality, frameworks of ethics (including Consequentialism and Deontology), and the different types of moral dilemmas discussed in the character education lecture.

Morality

The set of rules and standards a person has regarding right and wrong, or good and evil, concerning human behaviors and the distinction between proper and improper actions.

Morals

Specific beliefs, behaviors, and ways of being derived from doing ethics, which are judged to be good or bad through systematic ethical analysis.

Amoral

A term used to refer to actions that can normally be judged as moral or immoral but are done with a lack of concern for good behavior.

Moral Standards

Criteria for what behaviors are considered ethically right and wrong that generally uphold “the good” and outline people's rights and obligations.

Non-Moral Standards

Rules that are unrelated to moral or ethical considerations; moral standards essentially do not apply to these acts.

Consequentialism

A framework where the moral value of an action is based on outcomes, specifically if it produces the greatest amount of overall happiness or utility for the greatest number of people.

Deontology

An approach associated with philosopher Immanuel Kant that focuses on the inherent nature of actions and moral duties rather than their consequences.

Virtue Ethics

A framework emphasizing the character traits of individuals, such as honesty and courage, where moral actions are viewed as expressions of these virtues.

Social Contract Theory

The theory introduced by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau suggesting moral rules are based on a voluntary agreement to give up freedoms for social order.

Cultural Relativism

The belief that moral values and ethical standards are culturally determined and vary across societies, suggesting there is no universal or objective morality.

Dilemma

A situation in which a tough choice must be made between two or more options, especially when those options are more or less equally undesirable.

Personal Dilemmas

Ethical conflicts that revolve around individual decision-making and moral conflicts within oneself.

Interpersonal Dilemmas

Situations where the ethical choices and actions of one person may impact others directly.

Societal Dilemmas

Moral struggles that extend beyond individual and interpersonal levels to encompass broader societal issues.