Ethical Theories and the Philosophy of Mind

A set of flashcards summarizing key concepts in ethical theories and the philosophy of mind.

Utilitarianism

An ethical theory suggesting that the best action is the one that maximizes utility, usually defined as that which produces the greatest well-being of the greatest number of people.

Hedonistic Utilitarianism

A form of utilitarianism that equates utility with pleasure and disutility with pain, focusing on the consequences of actions.

Quantitative Utilitarianism

A type of utilitarianism that considers the amount of pleasure as the primary metric, not the quality of pleasure.

Act Utilitarianism

A form of utilitarianism where the ethical aspect of an action is determined by the specific consequences in each individual situation.

Hedonic Calculus

A method proposed by Bentham to quantify pleasure and pain for the purpose of making moral decisions.

Rule Utilitarianism

A form of utilitarianism that suggests an action is right if it complies with rules that lead to the greatest good if followed universally.

Qualitative Utilitarianism

A form of utilitarianism that considers some pleasures to be superior to others based on their nature and type.

Categorical Imperative

Kant's central philosophical concept in morals that commands, “Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”

Deontological Ethics

An ethical theory that uses rules to distinguish right from wrong, focusing on the intrinsic nature of actions rather than their consequences.

Virtue Ethics

A normative ethical theory that emphasizes the role of character and virtue in moral philosophy, rather than either the consequences or the rules.

Moral Realism

The belief that there are objective moral facts that exist independently of human thoughts and feelings.

Moral Non-Naturalism

The position that moral properties exist but are not reducible to natural properties that can be empirically verified.

Error Theory

The metaethical view that asserts all moral statements are false because there are no objective moral facts.

Emotivism

The ethical theory that posits moral language merely expresses emotional responses rather than factual claims.

Prescriptivism

The non-cognitivist ethical theory that moral statements are prescriptions rather than descriptions.

Substance Dualism

The belief that the mind and body are distinct and exist independently from one another.

Property Dualism

The view that while the brain is physical, mental properties are non-physical and cannot be reduced to physical states.

Functionalism

The belief that mental states are defined by their functional roles in a system, irrespective of the material that implements those functions.

Eliminative Materialism

The theory that common-sense psychological states, such as beliefs and desires, are incorrect and should be replaced with neuroscientific explanations.