PHIL 103

What is consequentialism?,

A category of moral theories that judge the morality of actions based on their consequences or outcomes.

What does “maximize” mean in consequentialism?

,Morally right actions are those that maximize good outcomes and/or minimize bad outcomes.

What is utilitarianism?,

A branch of consequentialism that judges actions by how much overall utility (happiness/pleasure/good) they produce.

What is the difference between normative and descriptive ethics?,

Normative ethics concerns what people ought to do; descriptive ethics concerns what people actually believe and how they act.

What is ethical naturalism?,

The view that moral facts are natural facts grounded in human needs and can be studied empirically.

Bentham vs. Mill (pleasure),

Bentham sees pleasure as purely quantitative; Mill believes pleasures differ both quantitatively and qualitatively.

What is Bentham’s pleasure calculus?

,An algorithm measuring pleasure/pain by intensity, duration, certainty, nearness, fecundity, purity, and extent.

What is Mill’s “Greatest Happiness Principle”?,

Actions are morally right insofar as they promote the greatest happiness.

What is act utilitarianism?,

Judging each individual action by how much utility it produces.

What is rule utilitarianism?,

Judging actions by whether they follow rules that generally maximize utility.

What is negative responsibility?

,The idea that we are morally responsible not only for what we do, but also for what we allow or fail to prevent.

What is Williams’ integrity objection?,

Utilitarianism undermines personal integrity by demanding people abandon their moral commitments to maximize utility.

What is cultural relativism?,

The view that moral beliefs should be judged within a culture and not across cultures.

What is Rachels’ criticism of cultural relativism?

,It prevents moral disagreement, excuses harmful practices, and undermines moral reasoning.

What is the Ethics of the Person (EOTP)?,

An ethical view that emphasizes personhood, dignity, autonomy, and moral respect for all persons.

What defines personhood in EOTP?

,Being open to moral evaluation and possessing dignity, autonomy, rational agency, and self-awareness.

What are rights/entitlements?,

Justified expectations we have of others that do not depend on outcomes.

Positive vs. negative rights,

Positive rights are rights to receive certain goods; negative rights are rights against interference.

Why is EOTP anti-consequentialist?,

It relies on rule-based moral constraints rather than outcome-based reasoning.

What are Kant’s perfect duties?

,Duties that must always be followed, such as telling the truth or preserving one’s life.

What are Kant’s imperfect duties?

,Duties that must be pursued but allow flexibility, such as helping others or developing talents.

What is Kant’s categorical imperative?

,Act only on maxims you could will to become universal laws.

What is the Formula of Humanity?,

Always treat humanity as an end in itself, never merely as a means.

What is a hypothetical imperative?

,A conditional command based on achieving a particular goal.

What is a maxim?,

A personal principle or rule that guides one’s actions.

What is the Ethics of Relationship?,

An ethical approach grounded in interdependence, care, gratitude, and responsibility within relationships.

What is Leopold’s Land Ethic?

,An environmental ethic emphasizing integrity and moral relationship with nature rather than resource exploitation.

What is climate justice?,

The idea that climate change harms are unequal and tied to broader social and economic inequalities.

What does “onipa hia moa” mean?,

A human being deserves help; it is both a moral fact and a moral obligation.

What is anthropocentrism?,

An ethical framework centered exclusively on human interests.

What is Aristotle’s characteristic function?,

The distinctive activity that defines what a thing is and what it does well.

What is virtue according to Aristotle?

,Excellence in fulfilling one’s characteristic function.

How does Aristotle connect virtue and happiness?,

True happiness comes from living virtuously, not just from pleasure or circumstance.

What is habituation?,

The process of developing virtue through repeated practice, not instruction alone.

Virtue as a mean between extremes

,Virtue lies between excess and deficiency and requires situational judgment.

What is the doctrine of double effect?

,An action with both good and bad effects can be permissible if the bad effect is unintended and outweighed by the good.

Act vs. kind of act (double effect),

The moral kind of an act depends on intention, execution, and secondary effects.

What is dogmatism?,

Holding beliefs rigidly without openness to evaluation or dialogue.

What is the ethics issue Solnit raises?

,Dismissing women’s credibility undermines their personhood and personal safety.

What is social contract theory?

,The idea that society is based on implicit agreements to give up some freedom for order and security.

What is Hobbes’ state of nature?,

A condition without government where life is insecure due to fear and conflict.

What problem challenges social contract theory?,

Explaining why individuals should obey rules beyond fear of punishment.

What is Singer’s view on global poverty?,

Affluent people have a moral duty to help prevent severe suffering.

What is Hardin’s lifeboat ethics?

,A metaphor arguing that aiding the poor risks resource collapse and should be limited.

Main criticism of Singer and Hardin (World Hunger myths),

Hunger results from political and economic inequality, not scarcity or overpopulation.

What is Du Bois’ “veil”?,

A metaphor describing racial separation and double consciousness experienced by Black Americans.

What is the “psychological wage of whiteness”?,

Non-material benefits white people receive that reinforce racial hierarchy.

What is ethical consumerism?,

Making purchasing choices based on moral values to promote positive change.

What is consumer sovereignty?,

The idea that consumer demand drives economic production and capitalism.

Criticisms of consumer sovereignty,

Advertising manipulation, information asymmetry, planned obsolescence, and limits to choice.

What is Susan Wolf’s argument about moral saints?,

A life devoted entirely to morality is undesirable because it crowds out valuable non-moral pursuits.

What are Wolf’s two types of moral saints?,

The Loving Saint and the Rational Saint.