PULSE Mid Term

Religion

A particular community’s way of perceiving and responding to what is sacred, holy, and/or transcendent

Morality

A community’s views of what constitute good and bad character traits and right and wrong behavior

Philosophy

The search for wisdom based in human reasoning

Theology

The search for wisdom about God and other things in relation to God

Utilitarianism

An ethical theory focused on producing the greatest good for the greatest number of people

Ethical egosim

An ethical theory according to which we must always do what we perceive to be in our best interests

Altruism

Generous acts motivated by concern for others

Metaphysics

The branch of philosophy that studies “being qua being”

Epistemology

The branch of philosophy concerned with what it means to know something

Ethics

The branch of philosophy or theology seeking to understand what are truly good and bad character traits and right or wrong acts

Voluntary acts

acts that come from within a person or other animal

Examined life

A life that is reflective and thoughtful about things that most matter in life

Human nature

The essential constituents found in a fully developed human person

Eudaimonia

An activity of soul in accord with virtue in a complete life

Eudaimonism

An ethical theory that justifies moral standards by the way they contribute to eudaimonia

Virtue ethics

An approach to ethics focused in the cultivation of good character traits

Good

Whatever allows something to flourish

Bad

Whatever presents an obstacle to something’s flourishing

Right

Acts that accord with the way things ought to be

Wrong

Acts that violate the way things ought to be

Soul

The form that animates a creature’s acts

Body

A three-dimensionally extended and continuous magnitude bounded by surfaces

Habit

The disposition to act, think, and feel in certain characteristic ways

Practice

A purposeful human activity where goal lies in the doing rather than some extrinsic effect

Skill

A rational, productive habit of making or crafting something that is guided by a reasoned account aimed at an external end

Virtue

A habitual disposition expressive of deliberate choice, being in the mean state relative to us, determined by reason, and as a person of practical wisdom would determine it

Character

A settled state of mind and habit that governs our thoughts, desires, and acts

Teleological reasoning

Reasoning on the basis of something’s end or purpose

The virtue of practical wisdom

The ability to recognize what is good or bad for a person in concrete situations

The virtue of temperance

The habit of acting according to the golden mean when it comes to bodily pleasures and desires, specifically those of touch and taste related to food, drink, and sex

The virtue of courage

A steady disposition to confront fear, pain, danger, or uncertainty in order to do what is right

The virtue of justice

The steady disposition to give to each person what is his or her due

The purpose of the polis

To enable human beings to live well

Commutative justice

A principle that governs fair and proportional reciprocity between individuals in private dealings

Distributive justice

A moral principle concerned with the fair and proportionate allocation of benefits and burdens among the members of a political community

The common good

The goods that promote the genuine flourishing (eudaimonia) of all members of a community