Christian Ethics Mid-Term Review

What is Utilitarianism?

A moral theory that judges actions by their consequences, aiming for the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

How might Utilitarianism apply to Batman's decision about the Joker?

It might justify killing the Joker if it prevents more future deaths, but could oppose it due to potential negative consequences.

What does Deontology focus on?

It focuses on duty and universal moral laws, judging morality regardless of outcomes.

What would Deontology say about killing the Joker?

It forbids killing the Joker as it violates the universal duty not to kill and uses him merely as a means to an end.

What is Virtue Ethics?

A moral theory that emphasizes cultivating character and virtuous habits to achieve Eudaimonia.

What is Kant's Categorical Imperative?

A principle stating that actions are moral only if their guiding principles can be universalized and people are treated as ends.

What does Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development illustrate?

It shows how moral reasoning progresses through levels, affecting how dilemmas are solved.

What is the Heinz Dilemma?

A moral dilemma used to illustrate different stages of moral reasoning, such as Stage 4's focus on law versus Stage 5's focus on life rights.

What are the three levels of Kohlberg's moral development?

Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional.

What is Cultural Relativism?

The belief that there are no universal truths in ethics; right and wrong are determined by cultural beliefs.

What is a critique of Cultural Relativism?

It prevents criticism of harmful practices in other cultures and hinders moral progress.

What are Universal Moral Rules?

Certain moral rules necessary for any society's survival, such as caring for children and telling the truth.

What is Dr. Maureen O'Connell's perspective on ethics?

Ethics is fundamentally about human relationships and what we owe to others.

What is the focus of the Relationship with Self sphere?

It explores maintaining an authentic identity in a period marked by individualism and social media.

What are key dilemmas in the Relationship with Specific Others sphere?

Navigating individual conscience versus community codes and the impact of technology on real-world intimacy.

What does the Relationship with Anonymous Others sphere emphasize?

Recognizing connections to strangers through global systems and moving from indifference to solidarity.

What is the key concept in the Relationship with the Earth sphere?

Stewardship, the responsibility to care for creation as a sacred trust.

What is the significance of the Hidden Child in Omelas?

The child's suffering is the condition for the city's prosperity and joy.

What does the social contract in Omelas entail?

Citizens learn that their happiness depends on the continued suffering of the Hidden Child.

What ethical challenges are presented in Omelas?

The moral dilemma of sacrificing one for the happiness of many.

What is the Age of i according to O'Connell?

A period characterized by individualism and curated self-images on social media.

What ethical tools are suggested for the Relationship with Self?

Building self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-compassion.

What is the theological foundation for O'Connell's ethics?

The concept of imago dei, which asserts that humans are made in God's image.

What is the goal of the Relationship with Anonymous Others?

To acknowledge injustices and foster solidarity with those we do not know.

How does O'Connell suggest addressing environmental crises?

By viewing them as relationship crises and promoting stewardship.

What is the impact of technology on relationships according to O'Connell?

It raises questions about whether digital friendships prepare us for real-world intimacy.

What does the story of Omelas illustrate about societal happiness?

It highlights the moral cost of happiness and the ethical implications of sacrificing one for many.

What is the relationship between character and daily interactions?

Character is formed through the consistent practice of virtues in small-scale interactions.

What moral theory seeks the greatest happiness for the greatest number?

Utilitarianism (Consequentialism)

How do most citizens of Omelas rationalize the suffering of one child?

They view it as a 'tragic trade-off' for the happiness of thousands.

What does Deontology emphasize in moral decision-making?

It forbids using individuals as means to an end, valuing them as ends in themselves.

What character trait does Virtue Ethics focus on in the context of Omelas?

It examines the character of citizens who accept the misery of another for their own comfort.

What is one response citizens of Omelas have to the truth about the child?

Rationalization and Acceptance, where they feel horror but choose to appreciate their joy.

What do some individuals in Omelas choose to do instead of accepting the situation?

They walk away, rejecting the complicity of the system.

How does David Brooks relate the dilemma of Omelas to modern society?

He suggests it parallels the exploitation of workers in developing countries for global prosperity.

What does the social contract of Omelas symbolize?

It represents a society thriving on the suffering of an individual, akin to a luxury train fueled by agony.

What philosophical thought experiment is found in Plato's Republic?

The Ring of Gyges.

What does Glaucon argue about human nature and justice?

He claims that people are only just due to fear of punishment, not because they value justice.

What is Socrates' rebuttal to Glaucon's argument?

He argues that true justice is about the health and harmony of the soul.

What does Socrates say about the happiness of an unjust person?

They can never be truly happy due to internal disorder and unchecked desires.

What key question does Socrates raise about morality?

Does the act still harm your character if no one sees it?

What does Socrates suggest about the internal state of a person?

Justice is a strength that nourishes the soul's true happiness.

What is the core argument of Cultural Relativism?

It claims that no universal moral truths exist, and right and wrong are determined by cultural beliefs.

What flaw does the Cultural Differences Argument have?

Disagreement among cultures does not imply the absence of objective moral truths.

What are three troubling consequences of strict cultural relativism?

1. Inability to criticize harmful practices. 2. Impossibility of internal reform. 3. Loss of moral progress.

What are some universal moral rules necessary for societal survival?

1. Care for children. 2. Truth-telling. 3. Prohibition of murder.

What does the inability to criticize harmful practices imply in cultural relativism?

It means practices like slavery could not be deemed morally wrong if accepted by a culture.

Why would moral reformers be considered 'wrong' in a strictly relativistic view?

Because they challenge their society's standards, which are seen as the only measure of rightness.

How does cultural relativism affect the concept of moral progress?

It prevents us from claiming a society has improved, only that it has changed.

What does Socrates compare the soul to in his argument about justice?

A high-end computer system that must be kept 'just' to avoid internal crashes.

What does the 'inner numbing' in Omelas signify?

It reflects the acceptance of another's misery for personal comfort, leading to a character of bland acceptance.

What does Socrates believe is essential for true happiness?

Acting rightly, as it nourishes the soul.

What does Glaucon's story of the Ring of Gyges illustrate?

The idea that people may act unjustly if they can escape punishment.

What is the primary ethical debate surrounding the Ring of Gyges?

Whether humans are naturally just or only act justly out of fear of consequences.

What does cultural relativism warn us about customs?

It warns us not to assume that our specific customs are the absolute standard of rationality; they are often just habits of our upbringing.

What is the significance of open-mindedness in cultural relativism?

It encourages tolerance and promotes using reason and compassion rather than judging other cultures based purely on our own conditioning.

How is cultural relativism metaphorically described?

It is likened to a person who refuses to use a compass because every hiker they meet is pointed in a different direction.

What is hedonism?

The view that our fundamental moral obligation is to maximize pleasure or happiness.

What does the Experience Machine thought experiment challenge?

It challenges Hedonism by suggesting humans value actual accomplishment, character, and deeper reality over pleasurable illusions.

What defines hookup culture?

The acceptance and encouragement of casual sex encounters without necessarily emotional intimacy or commitment.

What are the characteristics of hookup culture?

Sex occurs before relationship; sex is impersonal; bodies are used as vehicles for personal gratification; partners convey meaninglessness and detachment post-hookup.

What is the scout mindset?

Seeing things as they are and getting a clear picture of reality, conducive to truth-seeking.

What is the soldier mindset?

Involves motivated reasoning, wanting one's own ideas to win, and interpreting information based on fear and desire.

What characterizes the crisis of boyhood?

Men failing to reach mature manhood, characterized by immaturity, avoidance of responsibility, and seeking only pleasure.

How is Catholic manhood defined?

Defined by vocation, not occupation, based on God's creation laws: Procreation, Primacy/Leadership, Protection, and Provision.

What are the duties of Catholic manhood?

Ensuring the harmonious and united development of the family and giving witness to an adult Christian life (a life of virtue).

What is the relationship between virtue and virility?

Latin 'vir' is the root of both virtue (being a good man) and virility (being good at being a man); suffering and responsibility are hallmarks of masculinity.

What is Aristotle's Golden Mean?

Virtue is the balance located between two vices: a deficiency and an excess, achieved through repeated practice.

What does eudaimonia mean?

The Greek term for the telos (function/purpose) of a human being, translated as flourishing or living well.

What is Wendell Berry's core concept in 'Family Work'?

The practice of producing food and working together at home is about more than just nutrition; it is a way to live out what matters most.

What are the benefits of sharing chores in a family?

It strengthens family relationships and fosters a sense of community.

What modern obstacles does Berry identify to household unity?

Technology, distance and transportation, mass media, and the school system.

What practical step does Berry suggest for reclaiming home life?

Eliminating the TV to refocus on life at home and signal that meaning is found in everyday work and rest.

What philosophical principle does Berry's work align with?

The Catholic principle of subsidiarity, which teaches that problems should be addressed at the most local level possible.

What is the telos in Aristotelian philosophy?

Every being and object has a specific function, end, and purpose.

How does virtue develop according to Aristotle?

Virtue is defined as a stable, permanent trait of character achieved through repeated practice and imitation of moral exemplars.

What does the Golden Mean guide us to identify?

It helps identify virtue as the balance between deficiency and excess.

What does Aristotle's Golden Mean represent?

A balance point between two vices, where virtue lies.

What is an example of a deficiency in courage according to Aristotle?

Cowardice.

What is an example of an excess in courage according to Aristotle?

Recklessness.

How does virtue ethics approach sexual ethics?

It asks if an act contributes to personal and others' flourishing rather than just its legality.

What does the virtue of justice require in relationships?

Treating a partner with dignity as an end in themselves.

What does temperance prioritize in virtue ethics?

Self-control over impulsive or hedonistic behavior.

How is chastity defined within virtue ethics?

As a virtue that integrates sexuality within the person, directing it toward authentic love.

What critique does virtue ethics offer against hookup culture?

It suggests that true Eudaimonia requires vulnerability and intimacy, which casual encounters often lack.

What is the analogy used to describe becoming a person of virtue?

It is similar to committing to physical fitness, requiring effort and support.

What are the four kinds of love distinguished by the Catholic Church?

Storge, Philia, Eros, and Agape.

What is Storge?

Natural affection shared between family members.

What is Philia?

The love of friendship based on shared interests and loyalty.

What is Eros?

Romantic or sexual love that can become selfish.

What is Agape?

Selfless love that seeks the good of others without expecting anything in return.

What are the two purposes of sexual activity in Catholic teaching?

Unitive meaning and procreative meaning.

What does the unitive meaning of sex refer to?

The mutual self-giving that deeply bonds a man and a woman.

What does the procreative meaning of sex refer to?

An openness to the possibility of new life.

What is chastity's essence according to Catholic teaching?

A 'no' that prepares for a more intentional, life-giving 'yes' to a specific person.

What is the prophetic vision of 'Swords into Ploughshares'?

Transforming war and violence into cultivation and sustaining life.

Who are the prophets associated with the vision of 'Swords into Ploughshares'?

Isaiah and Micah.

What is direct violence?

Visible violence such as physical or psychological harm.

What is structural violence?

Invisible violence stemming from systemic inequality in power distribution.

What is cultural violence?

Narratives that dehumanize enemies or rationalize systemic injustices.