Ethics Exam 1 Key Terms and Philosophers

Complete set of vocabulary flashcards for Exam 1, covering ethical systems, justice, specific philosophers, and major world religions based on lecture notes.

Absolutism

An ethical system where ethics allow no exceptions to moral rules for special circumstances.

Act utilitarianism

An ethical system where only the basic utility derived from one action is examined.

Categorical imperative

Commands action that is necessary without any reference to intended purposes or consequences.

Civil disobedience

The voluntary disobedience of established laws based on one’s moral beliefs.

Confirmatory bias

When someone ignores evidence that is contrary to what they believe and overemphasizes shaky evidence that supports one’s view of guilt.

Corrective Justice

Concerns the fair resolution in controversies when unjust enrichment or unfair advantage occurs, either through civil or criminal wrongs.

Cultural Relativism

Holds that different societies may have different moral standards and dictates that individuals within a culture conform to the standards of their culture.

Deontological ethical system

An ethical system concerned solely with the inherent nature of the act being judged, where an act or intent is considered good if it comes from good will, regardless of consequences.

Deterrence

The primary reason to punish under a utilitarian system.

Discretion

The power to make a choice of action from several alternatives.

Distributive justice

Concerns the fair distribution of goods and opportunities in society.

Due process

Constitutionally mandated procedural steps designed to eliminate error in any governmental deprivation of protected liberty, life, or property.

Duties

Those actions that an individual must perform to be considered moral.

Egalitarian

A system starting with the basic premise of equality or equal shares for all.

Egoism

The ethical system that defines the pursuit of self-interest as a moral good.

Emolument Clause

A clause seeking to prevent the president or legislators from making decisions to benefit themselves; it states no person holding an office of profit or trust shall accept any present, emolument, office, or title from any king, prince, or foreign state without consent of Congress.

Ethics

The study and analysis of what constitutes good or bad conduct.

Ethical dilemma

Exists when an individual is faced with at least two courses of action and the decision is difficult.

Ethical systems

A structured set of principles that defines what is moral; they are prescriptive, authoritative, and universal.

Ethical Formalism

The ethical system espoused by Kant that focuses on duty; it holds that only a good will is truly good and what is good conforms to the categorical imperative.

Ethics of Care

The ethical system that defines good as meeting the needs of others and preserving and enriching relationships.

Ethics of Virtue

The ethical system that bases ethics largely upon character and possession of virtues.

Ethical Pyramid

A visual representation of how ethical systems support ethical judgments; the moral judgment is at the tip, supported by moral rules, which rest upon an ethical system.

Eudaimonia

A Greek term denoting perfect happiness or flourishing, related to the way to live a "good life."

Equality

The same value, rights, or treatment between all in a specific group.

Fairness

The condition of being impartial; the allocation of equal shares or equal opportunities.

Generational principle

The idea that every decision regarding environment, resources, or community must be weighed by its potential impact on descendants $7$ generations into the future.

Golden mean

Aristotle’s concept of moderation, in which one should not err toward excess or deficiency.

Hedonistic calculus

Jeremy Bentham’s rationale for calculating the potential rewards of a crime so that the amount of threatened pain could be set to deter people from committing that crime.

Hypothetical imperatives

Statements of contingent demand known as "if-then" statements.

Impartiality

The state of not favoring one party or interest more than another.

Justice

The quality of being impartial, fair, and just; derived from the Latin justitia, concerning rules or law.

Marxist

An approach to justice that places need above desert or entitlement.

Milgram experiments

Psychological experiments where subjects were told to administer shocks to individuals as part of a learning experiment.

Morals

Refers to what is judged as good conduct.

Moral Justification

An appeal to a higher or more important end to justify an act.

Moral pluralism

The concept that there are fundamental truths that may dictate different definitions of what is moral in different situations.

Natural law

The idea that principles of morals and rights are inherent in nature and not human-made; they are discovered by reason but exist apart from humankind.

Peacemaking justice

An ancient approach to justice that includes the concepts of compassion, care, connectedness, and mindfulness.

Procedural justice

The component of justice concerning the steps taken to reach a determination of guilt or punishment; involves the perception of being treated with voice, respect, neutrality, and trustworthiness.

Relativism

The position that what is good or bad changes depending on the individual or group, with no moral absolutes.

Religious ethics

An ethical system based on religious beliefs; what is good is that which is God’s will.

Retributive justice

The component of justice concerning the determination and methods of punishment.

Restorative justice

A system emphasizing making the victim whole and maintaining bonds between the community, the victim, and the offender.

Rule utilitarianism

Judging an action by the precedent it sets and the long-term utility of the rule set by that action.

Sanctuary

An ancient right based on church power that allowed a person respite from punishment within the confines of church grounds.

Situational ethics

The position that although there are universal truths, different situations call for different responses; actions can be right or wrong depending on situational factors.

Substantive justice

Concerns just deserts or what is fair and equitable, such as the appropriate amount of punishment for a crime.

Supererogatory

Actions that are commendable but not required.

Teleological ethical systems

Systems that judge the consequences of an act, often associated with the phrase "the end justifies the means."

Utilitarianism

The ethical system claiming that the greatest good is that which results in the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

Values

Elements of desirability, worth, or importance.

Veil of ignorance

Rawls’ idea that fair distribution principles are developed only if the decision maker does not know how the decision will affect them personally.

Adam Smith

($1723-1790$) The "father" of free enterprise who promoted practical egoism, arguing self-interest leads to national prosperity.

Aristotle

($384-322\,\text{bce}$) Student of Plato who believed some bad behavior came from weak wills and discussed "eudaimonia" as part of living a good life.

Immanuel Kant

($1724-1804$) Philosopher who believed moral worth comes from doing one's duty and that humans impose universal laws of behavior upon themselves.

Jeremy Bentham

($1748-1832$) A major proponent of utilitarianism who argued human nature seeks to maximize pleasure and avoid pain.

John Stuart Mill

($1806-1873$) Philosopher who proposed the "harm principle," stating law should only restrict actions that cause harm to others.

John Rawls

($1921-2002$) Philosopher who argued for equal basic liberties and that social inequalities should be arranged to benefit the least well-off.

Plato

($423-347\,\text{bce}$) Student of Socrates who associated virtues (wisdom, courage, moderation, justice) with different classes of people in society.

Socrates

($469-399\,\text{bce}$) Philosopher who associated knowledge with virtue and believed that all people acted to serve their own interests.

Buddhism

Religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) concerning the "middle path," ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom.

Hinduism

Religion centered on the concept of karma and the goal of escaping the birth/rebirth cycle by living a moral life and ascending through the caste system.

Islam

A monotheistic religion based on the Quran and the five pillars: shahada, salah, zakat, sawm, and hajj.

Judaism

A monotheistic religion older than Christianity or Islam, with the Torah and Talmud as foundational texts, emphasizing virtues and religious faith.