Section 3 - Major Ethical Theories

Vocabulary flashcards covering major ethical theories and related concepts from the notes.

Virtue Ethics

An ethics approach focused on developing good character traits (virtues) such as honesty, courage, integrity, compassion, and fairness; emphasizes being the kind of person you want to become (connection to a credo) rather than just on outcomes.

Greatest Happiness Principle

The core idea of Utilitarianism: actions should maximize happiness or utility for the greatest number of people.

Utilitarianism

Ethics that evaluates actions by their consequences to maximize overall utility or happiness for the greatest number.

Kantian Ethics

Duty-based ethics that judges actions by whether they follow universal moral rules, not by their outcomes.

Categorical Imperative

Kant’s rule: act only according to maxims that you would want to become universal law; treat humanity as an end in itself.

Ends in Themselves

Principle that people should be treated as intrinsic ends, not merely as means to an end.

Rights Theory

Ethical behavior involves respecting and protecting individual rights (life, liberty, property, privacy, freedom of speech).

Veil of Ignorance

Rawls’ method for designing just rules: create principles as if you don’t know your own place in society to ensure fairness.

Justice Theory / Contractarianism

Fairness and equality in distribution are the foundations of justice; associated with designing just social contracts.

Ethical Egoism

Ethical theory that people should act in their own self-interest; exists in weak and strong forms (pursuit of self-interest vs. maximizing personal benefit).

Divine Command Theory

Morality is grounded in religious or divine authority; right actions are those commanded by God.

Ten Commandments

An example of divine commands used to illustrate Divine Command Theory.