General normative moral theories/principles

Vocabulary flashcards covering major normative moral theories and their basic criteria for right and wrong.

Ethics is the law

An act is right if it is legal and wrong if it is illegal.

Criticism: some illegal acts are moral and some legal acts are immoral

Subjective relativism

An act is right for you if you believe it is right and wrong if you believe it is wrong.

Criticism: just believing something does not make it true.

Cultural relativism

An act is right if your culture approves of it and wrong if your culture disapproves.

Criticism: just a group believing an act to be right does not make it right

Ethics is religion

An act is right if God approves of it and wrong if God disapproves.

Criticism: If true, then god can say anything and it would be right.

Utilitarianism

An act is right if it maximizes the good (overall happiness).

Ethical Egoism

An act is right if it is in your own self interest

Criticism: it could be in your best interest to murder someone

Act utilitarianism

Considers everyone affected by your decision. it says to do that act which brings the most overall happiness or good, everyone considered equally

Criticisms of utilitarianism

1. It doesn’t take other values such as rights and justice into account

2. it doesn’t consider obligations to friends and family

3. it is too demanding

Kant

It is not the consequences that matters it is the intentions that matters.

we are moral because we are rational (have free will and can act with reason)

we should act form a sense of duty by following the categorical imperative ( do it because it is right) 

Criticism of Kant

There are exceptions to the duties

5 principles theory

Prima facie duties, they hold until a stronger duty comes along

Autonomy (5 principle theory)

Self governance (kant)

Beneficence (5 principles theory)

Helping other individuals

Utility (5 principles theory)

Maximizing overall happiness

Justice (5 principles theory)

Fairness, Treating equals equally, treating people as they deserve to be treated

Non-maleficence (5 principles theory)

Do no harm

Criticism of the 5 principles theory

When the duties conflict there is no guidance on which duty is the strongest

Virtue Ethics

Looks at what makes a good person

virtues are character traits manifested in habitual action that are good for a person to have

Virtues are means between extremes (courage, care, generosity and honesty)

Criticism of virtue ethics

1. it is tough to know how to act at times

2. when the virtues conflict it does not tell you which one to follow