Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism

A consequentialist approach to ethics that focuses on maximizing the greatest good for the greatest number of people affected by an action.

Jeremy Bentham

A key philosopher who developed the idea of utilitarianism.

John Stuart Mill

A key philosopher who further developed the concept of utilitarianism.

Act Utilitarianism

The branch of utilitarianism that states that everyone should perform the act that will bring about the greatest good for everyone affected by the act. This approach considers each situation individually and does not establish moral rules in advance.

List making

A method used by act utilitarians to weigh the positive and negative consequences of an action in a specific situation.

Rule Utilitarianism

The branch of utilitarianism that states that everyone should follow the moral rule that will bring about the greatest good for everyone affected by the act. This approach believes that there are enough similarities among human motives, actions, and situations to establish a set of moral rules.

Heinz Dilemma

A scenario often used to illustrate the utilitarian perspective, where a man named Heinz must decide whether to steal a drug to save his dying wife.

Consequentialism

The ethical theory that focuses on the consequences or outcomes of actions in determining their moral value.

Perspective thinking

Considering the different perspectives involved when analyzing ethical questions.

Consequentialist approach

An ethical approach that evaluates the morality of an action based on its consequences.1. Social Class:A system of categorizing individuals based on their economic and social status.

Social Climber

Someone who strives to move up in social class.

Working Class

Individuals who perform manual labor or have jobs that require less education.

Blue Collar

Working class individuals who perform manual labor jobs.

White Collar

Working class individuals who have jobs that require more education and typically involve office work.

The Elite

The highest social class, often associated with wealth and power.

Old Money

Individuals who come from families that have had wealth for generations.

New Money

Individuals who have recently acquired wealth.

Upper Class

The highest social class, often associated with wealth and privilege.

Middle Class

The social class between the upper and working classes, typically associated with a comfortable lifestyle.

Working Stiff

A term used to describe someone who works hard for a living.

Preppie

A term used to describe someone who dresses and behaves in a preppy or upper-class manner.

Dorky

A term used to describe someone who is socially awkward or nerdy.

Ghetto

A term used to describe a lower-income neighborhood or area.

Rednecks

A term used to describe working-class individuals, often associated with rural areas.

Novae Riche

Individuals who have recently acquired wealth and display it through their possessions.

Denial of the class system

The belief that there is no social class divide in America.

American Dream

The belief that anyone can achieve success and move between social classes based on hard work alone.

Social Science Perspective Identifiers

Factors used to identify social class, such as consumption patterns and opportunities.

Education

The level of education an individual has, which can impact their social class.

Occupation

The type of job an individual has, which can impact their social class.

Income/Wealth

The amount of money and assets an individual has, which can impact their social class.

Hierarchy

A ranking system based on education level, occupation, and income.

Status

The value and influence associated with a particular social class.

Achieved Status

Status that is earned through actions or accomplishments.

Ascribed Status

Status that is determined by characteristics an individual is born with.

Deterministic

A belief that certain factors always lead to a specific outcome.

Probabilistic

A belief that certain factors are likely to lead to a specific outcome, but not always.

Median Household Income

The income level that separates the top 50% of households from the bottom 50%.

Poverty Line

The income level below which individuals or families are considered to be living in poverty.

Kant's Duty Ethics

A moral philosophy that determines the ethicality of an action based on principles and reasoning.

Immanuel Kant

A philosopher who believed in using reason and logic to discover eternal truths of right and wrong.

Good Will

The ability to act in accordance with moral principles regardless of personal interests or consequences.

Freedom

The crucial element in ethical decision-making, as actions must be freely chosen to be considered ethical.1. Provisional Moral Rule:A temporary moral rule that is tested against three criteria to determine if it meets the requirements.

Valid Moral Rule

A moral rule that is logically consistent, universalizable, and does not violate the practical imperative.

Categorical Imperative

A rule stated in a way that can apply to all relevant situations and that all human beings can follow.

Practical Imperative

The principle that each human being should not be used as a means to an end.

Reversibility Criterion

The idea that if we never helped anyone in need, society would be negatively impacted.

Kant's Duty Ethics

A nonconsequential perspective that determines the ethicality of an action based on inherent goodness and ethical principles.

Relative Poverty

The measure of how much one has in terms of food, shelter, or clothes relative to someone else's level of poverty.

Absolute Poverty

The state of lacking the basics necessary for survival.

Official Poverty Line

The income threshold set by the government to determine who is considered poor and in need of assistance.

Poverty Rate

The percentage of the population living below the official poverty line.

Empirical Relationship

A relationship based on observed data and evidence.1. Family income:The amount of money a family earns from various sources.

College attendance

The act of enrolling and participating in college or university education.

Percentage

A proportion or fraction of a whole expressed in terms of 100.

High income families

Families with a significant amount of income, usually above average.

Higher educated

Having a higher level of education, typically referring to obtaining a college degree or higher.

Standard

A commonly accepted or expected level of quality or behavior.

Probabilistic

Relating to or based on probability, the likelihood of something happening.

Deterministic

Something that is always the case in every situation, without exceptions.

Means Tested Program

A program that determines eligibility for assistance based on meeting specific income thresholds.

Subsidized housing

Housing provided at a reduced cost to individuals or families with low incomes.

Poverty line

A threshold set by the government to determine the minimum income level required for basic necessities.

Individual Level Explanations

Explanations for poverty that focus on individual behaviors and beliefs.

Culture of Poverty

A set of norms and values that are learned by individuals in poverty and may be dysfunctional in other settings.

Structural-level Explanation

Explanations for poverty that focus on structural issues and how institutions and systems affect individuals.

Cycle of Poverty

The idea that poverty can be perpetuated through generations due to structural factors.

Basic institutions of society

Key societal institutions such as the economy, education, government, religion, and family.

Political Economy

The study of how political decisions and economic systems interact and influence each other.

Capitalism

An economic system characterized by private ownership of resources and the pursuit of profit.

Haves and have nots

A phrase used to describe the division between those who have wealth and resources and those who do not.

Winners and losers

Referring to the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities in a competitive system.

Economic development

The process of improving the economic well-being and quality of life in a region or country.

Mobility

The ability to move up or down in social or economic status.

Political decisions

Choices made by government officials and policymakers that impact various aspects of society, including the economy.

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Appearance vs

People tend to judge others based on their appearance rather than their true character.

Tammy

A person who lives in a home she can afford and struggles with cleanliness and transportation.

Welfare

Tammy has been on welfare for 18 years, receiving financial assistance.

Burger King

Tammy currently works at Burger King to support her children.

Cycle of Poverty

Tammy grew up poor with 21 siblings, and her father's limited opportunities may have contributed to her own limited education and opportunities.

Lack of Transportation

Tammy walks 10 ½ miles to work because she doesn't have a car or a license.

Trashy Bitch

People insult Tammy by yelling derogatory terms at her.

College Aspiration

Tammy wants to go to college and become a schoolteacher.

Burger King Uniform

Tammy wears her Burger King uniform every day, regardless of mixing the shirt or pants.

Sibling Relationship

Matt and Beaux have a strained relationship due to their different dressing styles.

Coping Mechanism

Beaux describes himself as a couch potato, possibly as a way to cope with his situation.

Social Class

Matt wishes he belonged to a different social class and takes pride in dressing well and winning awards.

Popular Like Matt

Beaux expresses a desire to be popular like his brother.

Harvard Material

Matt wants to go to college but doubts his suitability for prestigious universities like Harvard.

Tammy's Car Issues

Tammy owns a car but it has electrical problems and needs new tires.

Mobilizing Her Kids

Tammy wants to motivate her children but is unsure of how to do so.