Comprehensive Ethics and Moral Philosophy: Definitions, Theories, and Key Thinkers

Ethics

How to live + how to treat others

Moral

Customs about right/wrong

Normative ethics

How we should act

Metaethics

Meaning of moral terms

Applied ethics

Real-life situations

Deontology (KANT)

Judge by principles/duty

Teleology

Judge by outcomes

Utilitarianism

Maximize total happiness

Bentham

Greatest good for greatest number

Mill

Some pleasures are better; mental > physical

Virtue Ethics (ARISTOTLE)

Focus on character; ethics = habits

Altruism

Helping others

Egoism

Helping yourself

Hedonism

Pleasure = highest good

Epicureanism

Moderate pleasure; avoid pain/stress

Cynicism

Simple life; reject wealth

Stoicism

Control reactions, not events; accept fate

Hobbes

Humans = selfish; need government

Plato

Ethics = absolute truth; hard to understand

Aristotle

Ethics learned through habit; goal = happiness

Absolute Ethics

True everywhere

Ethical Relativism

Depends on culture

Determinism

No free will; everything caused

Existentialism

Humans are free; create own meaning

Instrumental value

Useful (conservationists)

Intrinsic value

Valuable itself (preservationists)

Just War Theory

War is ethical only if: just cause, right intention, last resort, follows rules

Buddhism

Enlightenment; no fixed 'self'; follow moral precepts

Hinduism

Karma → actions shape life

Judaism

Follow laws of life (Torah)

Moral agent

Makes decisions

Moral patient

Affected

Virtues

Positive traits

Golden Rule

Treat others how you want

Ethical Dilemmas

Example: Kill 1 save 5?

Kant vs Utilitarianism

Kant → NO; Bentham → YES; Mill → depends; Aristotle → depends on character