Philosophy Scholar

deontic concepts

whether an action is obligatory, wrong, or optional

right action

either obligatory or optional

hedonism

only bearers of positive intrinsic value are experiences of pleasure and only bearers of negative intrinsic value are experiences of pain

moral worth

evaluation of persons and their character

moral principles

general moral statements that purport to set forth conditions under which an action is right or wrong

ethics

area of philosophy which inquires into morality

normative ethics

investigates moral questions

metaethics

answers nonmoral questions about morality

ethical theory

how to live

formal view of diff between morality and ethics

Moral norms have the structure of being prescriptive, universal, and overriding (etiquette norms do not)

attitudinal view of diff between morality and ethics

how we respond to transgressions and how we want the norms to be followed by everyone

family resemblance view

to define things- are they similar to others in the category

moral theory

attempts to systematize ethical judgments

2 aims of moral theory

practical aim - gives decision procedure for right action and theoretical aim- explains why

principle of utility

action is right if it leads to most aggregate happiness out of all available actions

epistemic powers

what we are able to know

what are moral theories attempting?

to explain phenomenon of morality

narrow sense of right

action is obligatory

broad sense of right

action is not wrong

instrumental value

valuable because it is a means to something which is intrinsically valuable

arete

has to do with virtue

aretaic concepts

virtue concepts (about good/bad people)

structure of a moral theory (3 parts)

1.Theory of right action (deontic status)

2. Theory of good and bad (intrinsic value)

3. Theory of virtue (explains whether person is good or bad, aretaic)

value-based theories (or teleological/consequentialist)

theories in which the deontic status of an action depends on the instrinic value created by the action

duty-based theories (deontological)

deontic is fundamental

virtue-based theories (aretaic)

moral worth/virtue is fundamental, action is right if a virtuous person would do it

unrestricted divine command theory

nature of morality in God’s terms, God is origin of morality

restricted divine command theory

some parts don’t depend on god, some aspects of morality are preexisting

theory of right conduct

action is obligatory if God commands, wrong if God forbids, and optional if neither

theory of value

value depends on god’s approval/disapproval

divine command theory is unique because

it is the only theory that provides objective bases for a single true morality

Euthyphyro dilemma

does god command actions because they are inherently obligatory or are they obligatory because god commands them

relativism

variety of views and ideas that differ

unrestricted moral relativism

rightness/wrongness depend on culture’s moral code

moral objectivism

there are moral norms whose correctness is independent of the culture’s moral norms

context-sensitivity thesis

rightness and wrongness depend on circumstance and non-moral facts

descriptive relativism

explains how different cultures have different moral beliefs

moral diversity thesis

conflicts in morality across cultures