The Elements of Moral Philosophy - Flashcards

Flashcards covering vocabulary terms found in The Elements of Moral Philosophy by James and Stuart Rachels

Moral Philosophy

The study of what morality is and what it requires of us; about how we ought to live and why.

Minimum Conception of Morality

A core set of principles that every moral theory should accept as a starting point.

Using People

The idea that it is wrong to use people as means to other people's ends; typically involves violating their autonomy.

Brain Death

American law now understands death as occurring when the brain stops functioning.

Sanctity of Human Life

The idea that all human life is precious, regardless of age, race, social class, or handicap.

Discrimination

Involves treating some people worse than others, for no good reason.

Slippery Slope Argument

An argument that suggests one concession will lead to a series of subsequent actions that are undesirable.

Nature of Morality

Moral judgments must be supported by good reasons; morality requires the impartial consideration of each individual's interests.

Impartiality

Each individual’s interests are equally important, and no one should get special treatment.

Cultural Relativism

There is no such thing as universal truth in ethics; there are only the various cultural codes, and nothing more.

Social Norms

The idea that the only measure of right and wrong is the standards of one’s society.

Cultural Differences Argument

An argument that suggests morality is relative to cultures, and thus there is no objective truth in morality.

Moral Progress

The idea that most social changes are for the better, replacing old ways with new and improved ways.

Ethical Subjectivism

The idea that our moral opinions are based on our feelings and nothing more; there is no such thing as “objective” right or wrong.

Simple Subjectivism

A theory that states when a person says that something is morally good or bad, this means that he or she approves of that thing, or disapproves of it, and nothing more.

Stevenson's Language Theory

Language is used in many ways and is not always fact-stating.

Emotivism

The theory that says moral language has two functions: to express one’s attitudes and to try to influence other people’s attitudes and conduct.

Ethical Statements

Ethical statements report the speaker’s attitudes.

Simple Subjectivism

Ethical statements that report the speaker’s attitudes are fact-stating utterances.

Emotivism

Ethical statements that report the speaker’s attitudes are non-fact-stating utterances.

Moral Truths

Moral truths are truths of reason; a moral judgment is true if it is backed by better reasons than the alternatives.

Paradigms of Objectivity

Science provides our paradigm of objectivity, and when we compare ethics to science, ethics seems lacking.

Cultural Test

All we need to do is ask whether the action is in line with the code of the society in question.

Good and Bad

The idea that whether something is right or wrong is perfectly objective.

Divine Command Theory

A theory that states God decides what is right and wrong; actions that God commands are morally required; actions that God forbids are morally wrong; and all other actions are permissible or merely morally neutral.

Exodus

They state that right conduct is right because God commands it.

Moral Judgments

What is the right thing to do is whatever action has the best reasons backing it up.

Right and Wrong

Religious believers believe they must accept a theological conception of right and wrong because it would be sacrilegious not to do so.

Values and Purposes

The idea that the rain falls to help the plants because that is what God intended, and the animals are for human use because that is what God made them for.

Society Restrictions

The rules against lying and murder are necessary features of society.

Theory of Natural Law

A theory that rests on a particular view of the world; the world has a rational order, with values and purposes built into its very nature.

Laws of Nature

The ‘laws of nature’ describe not only how things are but also how things ought to be.

Moral Knowledge

We are able to grasp ‘natural laws’ because God has given us the power to understand them.

Ethical Egoism

Ethical egoism is the doctrine that each person ought to pursue his or her own self-interest exclusively.

Psychological Egoism

Psychological egoism asserts that each person does in fact pursue his or her own self-interest exclusively.

Principle of Equal Treatment

The general principle that stands in the way of any moral justification; requires fairness in our dealings with others, like cases should be treated alike, and only unalike cases may be treated differently.

Social Contract

That morality is about mutual benefit; you and I are morally bound to follow a rule only if we would be better off living in a society in which that rule were usually followed.

Promoting Policies

It is said that adopting those policies will promote the betterment of society.

Utilitarian

A theory that the aim of is to reform the laws and institutions of England along utilitarian lines.

Rand

Ethics of altruism

Prisoner's Dilemma

A problem invented by Merrill M. Flood and Melvin Dresher around 1950.

Impartiality

A doctrine that people have to be treated the same.

Mutual Acceptance

Morality consists in the rules that rational people will accept, on the condition that others accept them as well.

Practical Problem

A recurring moral problem that arises for self-interested human beings solved through enforcement of rules.

Beginning of WWII

An intolerant action of the first order.

Theory of Morals

The essence of morality is the voice of duty takes the place of physical impulses.

Stable Social Order

In a stable and cooperative society, we can produce more essential goods and distribute them in a rational way.

Conniving Methods

A method in which they will find ways to put pressure on and gain power.

Alternative

The best or more appealing choice rather than a negative thought or reaction.

Principle of Utility

The principle that tells us to produce the most happiness that we can.

Religious Belief

An opinion that must be considered for a specific question.

Provable Opinion

The idea that moral judgments can’t be proved sounds appealing.

Cornerstone of Morals

The essence of morality is what Kant said: a system of rules that one must follow from a sense of duty.

Value of Human Beings

Human beings are valuable ‘above all price.’

Respect Rational Capacity

We should treat people so that their interests,needs, and desires are heard.

Moral System

A principle stating that our duties can be derived from the categorical imperative.

Moral Philosophy

The study of what morality is and what it requires of us; about how we ought to live and why.