Lecture Notes on Morality and Ethics

Flashcards about morality and ethics, taken from lecture notes, vocabulary style

Altruism

The idea that people sometimes do things that aren't in their best interest, but are for the greater good of society or the interest of others.

Dostoevsky's Argument

The concept that if God does not exist, then everything is permitted, implying that morality is dependent on the existence of God.

Morality vs. Instinct

The idea that morality is the thing that guides your instinct, as opposed to morality being an instinct in itself.

Lewis' Argument for God

The argument that the existence of God is either the only or the best explanation for humanity's feeling of oddness and the universal principles of morality.

Relative Morality

The idea that everyone's moral standards are different, because they are up to the individual

Moral Law

The moral law inside of you, this your conscience tells you that tells you rationally that you have certain duties

Transcendentalism

Kant's idea that there are two things that fill people with awe and wonder, the starry heavens above and the moral law within. Points to a transcendent being.

Problem of Evil

The classical statement that includes 3 statements, which include the following: God is all powerful, God is morally good, and Evil Exists

Natural Evil

The suffering of innocent human beings and animals is baked into the natural world such as diseases, old age, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods

Probabilistic Version

The version of a moral argument that states that the existence of God is not consistent with any evil