Mega Deck

Who developed Natural Law?

St Thomas Aquinas.

What is Natural Moral Law?

A deontological theory based on human nature and telos.

What is telos?

The purpose or end goal of something.

What is the Eternal Law?

God’s rational plan governing the universe.

What is synderesis?

The natural inclination to do good and avoid evil.

What are the Primary Precepts?

Fundamental moral principles derived from human nature.

List the Primary Precepts.

Preserve life; reproduce; educate offspring; live in society; worship God.

What are Secondary Precepts?

Specific moral rules derived from Primary Precepts.

What is double effect?

An act with two effects may be allowed if the bad effect is unintended.

Who revived Natural Law in modern times?

John Finnis.

What are Finnis’ basic human goods?

Life, knowledge, friendship, play, aesthetic experience, practical reason, religion.

Who developed Situation Ethics?

Joseph Fletcher.

What is Situation Ethics?

A relativist theory based on agape (love).

What is agape?

Unconditional, self-sacrificial love.

What are the four working principles?

Pragmatism, relativism, positivism, personalism.

What is legalism?

Following rules rigidly.

What is antinomianism?

Rejecting all moral rules.

What is Fletcher’s middle way?

Rules are guidelines but love overrides them.

Who developed Kantian Ethics?

Immanuel Kant.

What is Kantian Ethics?

A deontological theory based on duty and reason.

What is the Categorical Imperative?

A universal moral law applying to all rational beings.

What is the Formula of Universal Law?

Act only on maxims that can be universalised.

What is the Formula of Humanity?

Treat people always as ends, never merely as means.

What is autonomy?

The ability to act according to rational moral law.

What is heteronomy?

Being controlled by desires or external forces.

Who developed Utilitarianism?

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill.

What is Utilitarianism?

A teleological theory aiming to maximise happiness.

What is the Principle of Utility?

Greatest happiness for the greatest number.

What is Act Utilitarianism?

Judge each action by its consequences.

What is Rule Utilitarianism?

Follow rules that maximise happiness.

What is Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus?

A method of measuring pleasure and pain.

What did Mill argue?

Higher pleasures (intellectual) are superior to lower pleasures.

Who is associated with preference utilitarianism?

Peter Singer.

What is euthanasia?

Deliberate ending of life to relieve suffering.

Types of euthanasia?

Voluntary, non-voluntary, involuntary, active, passive.

How does Natural Law view euthanasia?

Wrong (violates preservation of life).

How does Kant view euthanasia?

Wrong (violates duty and humanity as an end).

How does Utilitarianism view euthanasia?

Depends on consequences.

How does Situation Ethics view euthanasia?

Justified if most loving action.

What is business ethics?

Application of moral principles to business.

What is CSR?

Corporate social responsibility.

What is shareholder theory?

Businesses should maximise profit (Milton Friedman).

What is stakeholder theory?

Businesses should consider all affected groups (Freeman).

What is greenwashing?

Misleading environmental claims.

What is whistleblowing?

Reporting wrongdoing in an organisation.

Who is Augustine?

Early Christian theologian on human nature.

What is original sin?

Inherited sinful condition from Adam.

What is concupiscence?

Tendency towards sin.

What is Augustine’s view of evil?

Evil is privation of good.

What is Pelagius’ view?

Humans are morally neutral and can choose good.

Who is Descartes?

Philosopher associated with dualism.

What is dualism?

Mind and body are separate substances.

What is materialism?

Only physical matter exists.

What is Plato’s view of soul?

Immortal and separate from body.

What is Aristotle’s view?

Soul is form of body (not separable).

What is the cosmological argument?

Universe requires a first cause or necessary being.

What is the teleological argument?

Order in universe implies design.

What is Paley’s analogy?

Universe is like a watch needing a designer.

What is the ontological argument?

A priori argument from concept of God.

Who is Anselm?

Medieval philosopher of ontological argument.

Who criticised ontological argument?

Gaunilo and Kant.

What is the problem of evil?

Conflict between God and existence of evil.

What is the inconsistent triad?

God is omnipotent, omnibenevolent, evil exists.

What is Augustine’s theodicy?

Evil is privation caused by free will.

What is Irenaean theodicy?

Evil is soul-making.

Who developed modern soul-making?

John Hick.

What is the free will defence?

Evil results from human freedom.

What is knowledge of God’s existence about?

Whether God can be known or proven.

What is a priori knowledge?

Knowledge independent of experience.

What is a posteriori knowledge?

Knowledge from experience.

Who is David Hume?

Critic of induction and empirical arguments.

Who is Karl Popper?

Falsificationism.

What is verificationism?

Meaningful statements must be empirically verifiable.

What is falsificationism?

Statements must be able to be proven false.

What is the soul-body problem?

How mind relates to physical body.

What is dualism?

Mind and body are separate.

What is materialism?

Mind is brain activity.

What is property dualism?

One substance, two types of properties.

Who is Locke?

Memory theory of personal identity.

What is religious experience?

Claimed experience of God.

What is problem of evil?

Challenge to God’s existence.

What is arguments from observation?

Arguments based on experience of world.

What is arguments from reason?

Human reason suggests non-material explanation.

What is the Incarnation?

God becoming human in Jesus.

What is hypostatic union?

Jesus is fully God and fully human.

What is Trinity?

One God in three persons.

What is atonement?

Reconciliation between God and humanity.