Ethics and Moral Philosophy

These flashcards cover the key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on ethics and moral philosophy.

Ethics

A branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct.

Axiology

The branch of philosophy concerned with values, comprising the sub-branches of ethics and aesthetics.

Moral Standards

Actions that fall within the moral sphere and are subject to moral judgments.

Non-moral Standards

Actions that are devoid of moral quality and thus excluded from moral judgment.

Moral Quality

The quality that determines whether actions are right or wrong, good or bad.

Moral Agents

Individuals capable of acting with regard to right and wrong and can be held responsible for their behaviors or decisions.

Moral Standards

Norms which indicate the types of actions considered morally acceptable or unacceptable.

Law

A set of rules enacted by Congress or legislative bodies.

Statutes

Laws enacted by legislative bodies.

Ethical Person

A moral agent who possesses the capacity of reason and moral judgment.

Cultural Relativism

The belief that people from different cultures can have relationships that acknowledge and respect the differences among them.

Cultural Diversity

The variations of culture within a society.

Acts of Human

Processes that are involuntary and lack moral implications, such as blinking, breathing, and sneezing.

Human Acts

Acts that make use of knowledge and free will.

Culture

A complex rule which includes knowledge, beliefs, laws, art, and other components as defined by Edward B. Taylor.

Categorical Imperative

An imperative that commands a certain action as necessary without any condition; opposed to hypothetical imperatives.

Hypothetical Imperative

An imperative that commands an action based on the condition of wanting to achieve a certain end.