Values & Virtue: Ethics in Action

A collection of flashcards based on lecture notes about ethics, moral philosophy, and values, focusing on key concepts and definitions.

Ethics

The branch of moral philosophy concerned with what is good for individuals and society.

Moral Realism

The view that moral principles have an objective foundation and are not based on subjective human convention.

Moral Subjectivism

The belief that moral judgments reflect personal preference or opinion.

Moral Relativism

The idea that moral standards are grounded in social approval and vary by individual and society.

Deontology

Duty-based ethics concerned with the morality of actions rather than their consequences.

Consequentialism

An ethical approach where the morally right action is determined by the best overall consequences.

Utilitarianism

A type of consequentialism that suggests decisions should maximize human well-being ('utility'). Key proponents include Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill (19th century).

Categorical Imperative

Kant's principle stating one should act only according to that maxim whereby one can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.

Virtue Ethics

An ethical approach that emphasizes moral character and the virtues a person should embody.

Moral Relativism (alternative definition)

The concept that there are no objective moral truths, and moral statements describe the speaker's feelings.

Schwartz's Ten Basic Values

A theory consisting of ten universal values that motivate human behavior, including self-direction and universalism.

Meta-ethics

The branch of ethics that investigates the nature of moral judgments (e.g., whether moral truths exist and how we know them).

Normative Ethics

The branch of ethics concerned with establishing how people should act, including developing moral principles and rules (e.g., Deontology, Consequentialism, Virtue Ethics).

Applied Ethics

The branch of ethics that examines specific, controversial moral issues (e.g., abortion, animal rights, environmental ethics) by applying normative theories.

Aristotle

An ancient Greek philosopher widely considered the father of Virtue Ethics, emphasizing character and Eudaimonia.

Eudaimonia

Often translated as "human flourishing" or "well-being," a central concept in Aristotelian virtue ethics as the ultimate goal of human life.

Moral Dilemma

A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more ethical courses of action, each of which renders some moral principle violated.

Divine Command Theory

The ethical framework that states an action is morally good if it is commanded by God, and morally bad if it is forbidden by God.

Social Contract Theory

The view that morality, or political obligations, are based on an agreement among individuals to establish a society.

Ethical Egoism

The normative ethical theory that individuals should act in their own self-interest, and that this is the morally right choice.

Ethical Altruism

A consequentialist theory stating that decisions should maximize the welfare of others. Associated with Auguste Comte (19th century).

Rule Consequentialism

A form of consequentialism where the moral rightness of an act is determined by whether it conforms to a rule that, if generally followed, would lead to the best consequences.

Hedonism

An ethical theory suggesting that decisions should maximize pleasure and contentment, often associated with Epicurus (1st century BC).

Ecological Consequentialism

A consequentialist approach where decisions should maximize human, animal, and ecological benefit, as proposed by Holmes Rolston (21st century).