Midterm Ethic

MLK Jr. argues that it is also wrong, or even more, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends?

true

Does MLK Jr. argue that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends?

true

What is the Eternal Law?

The uncreated reason of God that guides the universe as it moves towards a particular end or goal

What is the Divine Law?

Directs humans and other creatures to their supernatural end which consists of a vision of God and eternal blessedness

What is the Natural Law?

The special way that rational creatures participate in eternal law and are thereby directed toward these earthly happiness

What is the Human Law?

The bottom of the hierarchy of laws a a law, such as a legislation or cultural norms, that is derived by humans from natural law.

Was St. Thomas Aquinas the main proponent of the natural law theory?

true

What are the aspects of Thoreau’s guidelines of civil disobedience?

Henry David Thoreau, Mohandas Gandhi, Rosa Parks, and MLK, Jr. believe in civil disobedience or active non-violence

true

Henry David Thoreau’s core message in his work “Civil Disobedience” and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “A Letter Birmingham Jail” are a reflection of

the natural theory

The natural law theory argues that

morality is grounded in nature, and that is the capacity to reason

Civil Disobedience involves the

refusal to obey certain government laws for the purpose of trying to bring about a change in legislation or government policy.

Like Aristotle, Aquina’s worldview and morals are teleological, which means everything happens randomly, without purpose or goal.

true

Critique of natural law theory

Natural law theory commits the naturalistic fallacy

2. Critique of natural law theory

There is a disagreement among natural law theorists on the list of fundamental goods.

3. Critique of natural law theory

Not all people agree on what is morally acquired

St. Thomas Aquinas

Contends that reasoning is given by God and thus, a part of human nature.

Aristotle

Contends that reasonings is part of human nature and is not innately given by God

Martin Luther King, Jr,

Wrote “A Letter From Birmingham Jail.”

Henry David Thoreau

Wrote “On Civil Disobedience.”

For Aristotle, God gave us the capacity to reason whereas for Aquinas, reasoning is just a part of our nature.

false

Four basic steps proposed by MLK, Jr., in a non-violent action:

1. Direct Action

2. Self-Purification

3. Collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive

4. Negotiation

In objectivist ethics, there is no source of values other than objective reality - not God or ant abstract entity. Rather the source of moral values are things that are tangible and quantifiable - money, wealth, financial success, and material self-interests

True

John: “i don’t think that we should do good things because they are good in themselves.”

May: “Why do you say that?”

John: “I’ve realized that people do good things because of reward and punishment

In the above conversation, John is a:

Consequentialist

Eudaimonia means

Happiness or flourishing

Psychological egoism

A descriptive moral concept which holds that man by nature is solitary, selfish, and brutish.

Ethical egoism

A prescriptive moral concept which holds that human beings ought to pursue their rational self-interests

Thomas Hobbes

proposes pyschological egosim

Ayn Rand

proposes ethical egosim

Hedonism

Contends that pain is evil and pleasure is good

The Levianthan

Thomas Hobbes’ famous work

Egoism is a

type of consequentialist theory because Egoism maintains that an act is good because its consequence or effect benefits “me” or the “I” (ego).

Egoism maintains that an act is good because

its consequence or effect benefits “me” or the “I” (ego).

Thomas Hobbes’ descriptive ethical theory that contends, “Man is by nature selfish, brutish, and insecure…”

Psychological egoism

Plato’s article, “The Ring of Gyges,” elicits the moral problem that:

If somebody wears Gyges’ ring, he will become invisible and is possible to do an unjust act

Ayn Rand’s concept of rational egoism obligates us to:

Be honest

Be Just

Be Independent

Have intergrity

In ethical egoism, one critique is:

It encourages the development of self-esteem

In Plato’s article, “The Ring of Gyges.” which statement is true?

Socrates presented the scenario that what if there are two magic rings: the jsut one put one of them and the unjust the other

To Epicurus, “friendship” is a ______ type of pleasure.

Katastematic

It is an exaggerated sense of self-importance: a sense of arrogance, boastful, inconsiderateness and self-centeredness.

Egotism

Altruism is the concerned for the well-being of one’s self.

False

Ayn Rand’s prescriptive ethical theory that identifies happiness with the pursuit of rational self-interest

Ethical egoism

To Epicurus, this type of pleasures are physical or material in nature, so intense but short-lived.

Kinematic

Bentham and Mill agree that:

Morality and social ideals should not be directly imposed from above (religion, government, bogus authorities) but it begins with the happiness of the people, by asking the question: what is it that makes the majority happy?"

Utilitarianism of a form of non-consequentialist theory.

False. Utilitarianism ais a form of consequentialist or teleological type of moral concept. Utilitarians contend that an act is good because its consequence or effect benefits the majority.

Which statements ARE TRUE as far as Bentham’s hedonistic calculus is concerned?

Fecundity is to what extent to which the pleasure will produce more pleasure

Duration is the length of time the pain and pleasure will last

Intensity is the strength of the pleasure and pain. The greater the pleasure, the higher the positive value; the greater the pain, the more negative the value

Extent is the number of persons or sentient beings being affected by the action.

According to Act Utilitarianism ____________.

Killing one healthy patient to save the six would be morally okay even if the rule or law prohibits it.

The founding fathers of the classical form of Utilitarianism are:

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill

Granting that stealing is illegal, rule utilitarians would argue that Robin Hood’s act of stealing from the rich to give the money to the poor is unethical?

True

Philosophically speaking, Peter admits that he is an advocate of animal rights

False, Peter Singer argues that philosophically, he is more concerned with equal rights among humans and animals (not necessarily an advocate of animal rights) in terms of both species as sentient beings that can feel pain and pleasure.

Rule Utilitarianism states __________.

That the best act is the one that would be enjoined by whichever rule would yield the most utility.

For John Stuart Mill, all pleasures are the same - that they can be quantified through his hedonistic calculus.

False, John Stuart Mill is the quality of pleasures (rational, intellectual pleasures)

Utilitarianism argues that:

That morality is dependent on the greatest net happiness for the greatest number of people.

Jeremy Bentham

Argues for the quantity of pleasures, that all pleasures are the same

John Stuart Mill

Argues for the quality of pleasures as higher than the quantity of pleasures

Rule Utilitarianism

Contends that everyone should follow the rules that, in general bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people

Act Utilitarianism

Contends that action or morality of actions, and not rules, brings about the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people

Speciesism

Is a prejudice or attitude of bias in favor of interests of members of one’s own species and against those of members of other species

Who said: “Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought todo as well s to determine what we shall do”?

Jeremy Bentham

John Stuart Mill argues that quality of pleasures - intellectual, rational pleasures - is a higher than the quantity of pleasures.

True

The two main types of Utilitarianism are ______

Act and Rule Utilitarianism

Rule utilitarians are concerned with ___

the laws or policies that benefit the majority