Ethics final

Conventional morality

Conventional morality

A system of widely accepted rules and principles created by and for human beings to govern their lives and assess the actions of others, which can differ from society to society.

Critical morality

An ethical framework independent of social agreements, free from mistaken beliefs and prejudices, serving as the ultimate standard for evaluating conventional morality.

Moral reasoning

The process involving a set of reasons and a conclusion that these reasons support.

Argument

A structured set of reasons and a conclusion that these reasons are meant to support, particularly in philosophy.

Logical Validity

The relationship between the premises and the conclusion of an argument, where the truth of the premises ensures the truth of the conclusion.

Soundness

Logically valid arguments with true premises, ensuring their conclusions are also true, considered the gold standard of good reasoning.

Fallacy

A mistake in reasoning.

Ad Hominem

A fallacy that attacks the person making an argument rather than the argument itself.

Straw Man

A fallacy that misrepresents someone’s argument to make it easier to attack.

False Dilemma

Presenting two options as the only possibilities when more exist.

Circular Reasoning

A reasoning error where the conclusion is included in the premise.

Hasty Generalization

Making a general statement based on a small sample.

Red Herring

Introducing an irrelevant topic to divert attention from the original issue.

Appeal to Authority

Believing a claim is true because an authority figure says it is.

Ethical egoism

The theory that our only moral duty is to ourselves, with no obligations to others.

Relativism

The belief that denies the objectivity of ethics, viewing moral rules as human creations.

Cultural relativism

The belief that moral values and ethical standards are relative to specific cultures.

Error theory

The belief that morality is make-believe, and moral claims are never true.

Hedonism

The view that life's goodness comes from pleasure and absence of pain.

Desire satisfaction theory

The theory that well-being depends on getting what you want.

Consequentialism

The ethical theory that an action is morally required if it produces the best overall results.

Utilitarianism

A form of consequentialism that argues an action is right if it maximizes overall happiness for the greatest number.

Kantian ethics

A deontological ethical theory developed by Immanuel Kant, emphasizing duty and adherence to universal moral laws.

Contractarianism

An ethical theory suggesting moral norms arise from mutual agreements among individuals.

Prisoner's Dilemma

A game theory scenario where two rational individuals might not cooperate, even if it's in their best interest.

Nash Equilibrium

A situation where no participant can gain by unilaterally changing their strategy if others' strategies remain unchanged.

Infinite Prisoner's Dilemma

A repeated version of the Prisoner's Dilemma played out indefinitely.

Delta

A discount factor representing how much future rewards are valued compared to present rewards.

Cooperation Strategy

An agreement where both parties choose to spare each other to avoid greater long-term losses.

Rational Leaders

Leaders who consider the long-term impact of their decisions on future interactions.

Natural Law Theory

The ethical theory proposing that moral principles are grounded in the natural order and understood through human reason.

Doctrine of double effect (DDE)

An ethical principle stating that an action with both good and bad effects is permissible under certain conditions.

Ethical pluralism

The view that multiple, sometimes conflicting moral principles are all equally fundamental.

Ethic of prima facie duties

An ethical framework suggesting certain duties are inherently important unless overridden by stronger obligations.

Virtue ethics

An ethical theory emphasizing the development of good character traits rather than merely following rules.

Peter Singer’s equality of consideration for animals

A principle arguing that animals deserve equal consideration of their interests based on their capacity to suffer or enjoy.

Movement in Plants

Discusses plants like Mimosa pudica and Venus flytrap, showing their electrical responses and fast movements.

Electrophysiology

The recording of electrical signals from neurons or muscles.

Plant Action Potentials

The generation of action potentials in plants in response to stimuli.

Venus Flytrap's Counting Mechanism

The mechanism by which the Venus flytrap uses action potentials to count touches on its trigger hairs.

Plants Communicating with Electricity

The way plants communicate using electrical signals, similar to animal nervous systems.

Interspecies Plant Communication

Experiments transmitting action potentials from one plant to another to simulate touch responses.

Overarching principles of animal research

Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement (the 3Rs) aimed at minimizing animal use and enhancing welfare.

Institutional Animal Care And Use Committees (IACUC)

Committees overseeing the ethical treatment of animals in research institutions.

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA)

A federal law regulating the treatment of animals in research and other contexts.

Principle of social benefit in animal research

Emphasizes that animal use should produce significant societal benefits.

Principle of animal welfare in animal research

Ensures the well-being of animals is prioritized in research practices.

Capabilities of the personnel and institution in animal research

Refers to the qualifications and resources available for ethical animal research.

Deforestation

The large-scale removal of trees and forests, leading to habitat loss and biodiversity reduction.

Human interaction with nature

The ways people engage with and impact the natural world, encompassing both positive and negative effects.

Broken window theory

A criminological theory suggesting visible signs of disorder encourage further crime.

Conventional morality

A system of commonly accepted rules and principles devised by humans to guide their lives and evaluate the actions of others, which may vary across different societies.

Critical morality

An ethical framework that is independent of social consensus, free from errors and biases, and serves as the ultimate criterion for assessing conventional morality.

Moral reasoning

The cognitive process involving a collection of reasons culminating in a conclusion that these reasons support.

Argument validity and soundness

Validity pertains to the logical connection between premises and conclusion, while soundness is the quality of arguments that are both logically valid and have true premises, thereby guaranteeing true conclusions.

Fallacy

An error in reasoning.

Ad Hominem

A fallacy that targets the individual making an argument instead of addressing the argument itself.

Straw Man

A fallacy that distorts an opponent's argument to make it simpler to attack.

False Dilemma

Presenting only two options as the sole possibilities, ignoring other viable alternatives.

Circular Reasoning

A reasoning flaw where the conclusion is inherently included within the premises.

Hasty Generalization

Formulating a general conclusion based on an insufficient or small sample.

Red Herring

Introducing an irrelevant topic to divert attention away from the main issue.

Appeal to Authority

Accepting a claim as true based solely on the assertion of a figure of authority.

Ethical egoism

The belief that the only moral obligation is to oneself, with no responsibilities towards others.

Relativism

The view that denies the objective existence of ethics, asserting that moral rules are constructs of human society.

Cultural relativism

The belief that moral beliefs and ethical principles are relative to specific cultural contexts.

Error theory

The philosophy asserting that morality is illusory and that moral claims cannot be true.

Hedonism

The perspective that defines the goodness of life in terms of pleasure and the absence of suffering.

Desire satisfaction theory

The view that a person's well-being hinges on the fulfillment of their desires.

Consequentialism

An ethical framework where an action is deemed morally right if it leads to the best overall outcomes.

Utilitarianism

A specific type of consequentialism that claims an action is right if it maximizes overall happiness for the greatest number of individuals.

Kantian ethics

A deontological ethical theory formulated by Immanuel Kant, focused on duty and adherence to universal moral laws.

Contractarianism

The ethical view positing that moral norms originate from mutual agreements between individuals.

Video on 'The Prisoner’s Dilemma'

A visual representation illustrating the decision-making conflict where two rational individuals may not cooperate even if it's in their best interest.

Natural Law Theory

The ethical framework suggesting that moral principles are rooted in the natural order and can be comprehended through human reason.

Doctrine of double effect (DDE)

An ethical guideline stating that an action with both beneficial and harmful effects can be permissible under specific conditions.

Ethical pluralism

The belief that multiple, sometimes conflicting, moral principles are all equally fundamental.

The ethic of prima facie duties

An ethical perspective suggesting certain duties hold inherent significance unless overridden by stronger obligations.

Virtue ethics

An ethical theory concentrating on the cultivation of virtuous character traits rather than merely adhering to a set of rules.

Peter Singer’s equality of consideration for animals

The principle advocating that animals should be given equal moral consideration of their interests, grounded in their ability to suffer or experience enjoyment.

Video on 'Can Plants Communicate With Each Other?'

A visual exploration examining the hypothesis of whether plants can use signaling mechanisms to communicate.

Overarching principles of animal research

Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement (the 3Rs), principles aimed at reducing the utilization of animals and enhancing their welfare.

Institutional Animal Care And Use Committees (IACUC)

Committees responsible for ensuring the ethical treatment of animals within research institutions.

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA)

A federal statute regulating the treatment of animals in research and various contexts.

Principle of social benefit in animal research

Emphasizes that research involving animals should yield significant societal benefits.

Principle of animal welfare in animal research

Ensures the well-being of animal subjects remains a priority throughout research processes.

Capabilities of the personnel and institution in animal research

Refers to the qualifications and resources available for conducting ethical animal research.

Deforestation

The extensive removal of trees and forests, leading to habitat loss and a decline in biodiversity.

Human interaction with nature

Various ways in which humans engage with and impact the natural environment, including both positive and negative consequences.

Broken window theory

A criminological theory suggesting that visible signs of disorder and neglect can encourage further criminal behavior.

Consumer psychology

The study of how thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and perceptions influence consumer behavior.

The value of privacy

The importance placed on personal privacy and the protection of individual information.

Active surveillance

A monitoring strategy involving proactive observation of individuals or environments.

Passive surveillance

A monitoring system that involves the collection of data without direct observation.

Information Processing Theory

A cognitive science framework that compares the human mind to computer processing, focusing on the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of information.

Artificial Intelligence

The simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, particularly computer systems.

Strong AI and Weak AI

Strong AI refers to machines with the capability to understand and perform tasks akin to human intelligence, while Weak AI relates to systems designed for specific tasks without genuine understanding.

Five main categories of drugs

Drugs are typically classified into five main categories: stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, opioids, and inhalants.

Eugenics

A social philosophy advocating for the improvement of the human population through controlled breeding for desirable inherited traits.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)

An organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.