Moral Judgment, Bias, and Sociobiology (Lecture Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture excerpt on moral judgment, bias, life-value trade-offs, sociobiology, and relatedness.

Judgment (ethical judgment)

The process of making a moral assessment, including evaluating your theory, checking adequacy, bias, and whether all relevant factors are considered.

Bias

A systematic skew in judgment caused by personal preferences, assumptions, or external pressures, potentially affecting fairness.

Adequacy of a theory

Whether a proposed explanation or policy is sufficient to justify the conclusion in a moral dilemma.

Relevance factors

The factors that must be included in a decision to ensure it is fair and comprehensive (e.g., consequences, context, duties).

Value of human life

The moral weight or importance assigned to a human life when deciding between actions that affect lives.

Value of children

The moral weighting given to children's lives, which can influence trade-offs in life-and-death choices.

Sociobiology

A field that explains social behavior through evolutionary biology; mentioned as a topic to be discussed in relation to moral decisions.

Relatedness

The genetic or familial connection to others, which can influence judgments about sacrificing one’s own or others’ lives.

Moral dilemma: sacrifice vs. saving

A scenario where one life may be sacrificed to save others, raising questions about the right decision and underlying values.