Moral Reasoning in Bioethics

Prohibited

Morally impermissible

Obligatory

An act that would be wrong not to do

Morality

Beliefs regarding morally right and wrong actions/morally good or bad character; people are judged good or bad

Legal moralism

The belief that legality and illegality should be determined solely on the morality/immorality, regardless of physical or economic harm (in secular society, but they are not necessarily identical)

Ethics

“Moral philosophy” is the systematic study of morality using the tools of philosophy; actions are judged right or wrong

Permissible

An act that is allowed or permitted, but not obligatory

Supererogatory

An act that is above and beyond one’s duty; praiseworthy but not obligatory

Descriptive ethics

The study of morality using the tools of social science; “what is the case”