Ethical Issues and Life Choices Test 1 Section A You will be asked to explain five different concepts ideas out of the list below You will need to explain these clearly and coherently using examples where appropriate Not all of the concepts from the list will appear on the test but you will have some choice with regards to what concepts you will explain Each of these five answers will be weighted at 10 of your total grade 1 Act Utilitarianism Maximizing happiness and welfare The rightness or wrongness of actions depends entirely on how they affect welfare or happiness Textbook definition An action is right if and only if and because it would if performed likely produce at least as high a utility net overall balance of welfare as would any other alternative action one might perform instead An act utilitarian doesn t generalize the act but regards it as a single action with a single outcome Concerned with short term consequences Ex Should the sheriff execute an innocent man to prevent a riot An act utilitarian would say yes because it has an immediate positive consequence no riot 2 Rule Consequentialism An action is right if it is in accord with that set of universally accepted rules The universal acceptance of which would make things go best Textbook definition An action is right if and only if and because it is permitted by a rule whose associated acceptance value is at least as high as the acceptance value of any other rule applying to the situation Concerned with long term consequences Ex Should the sheriff execute an innocent man to prevent a riot A Rule consequentialist would say no because it goes against the law of executing a person who is innocent 3 One of Kant s formulations of principle of morality Formula of Humanity Theory o Textbook definition An action is right if and only if and because the action treats persons including oneself as ends in themselves and not as a mere means o Act in such a way that you treat humanity never merely as a means to an end but always at the same time as an end in themselves o Deception and coercion are two ways in which one can treat another person merely as a means as an object to be manipulated o Ex If in walking by I see that you are wearing a watch and ask you for the time I am using you as a means for finding out what time it is but I am not thereby using you merely as a means to my own ends Formula of Universal Law Theory o Textbook definition An action is right if and only if one can both a consistently conceive of everyone adopting and acting on the general policy that is the maxim of one s action and also b consistently will that everyone act on that maxim o Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that is should become a universal law without contradiction o Ex In situations in which I am thirsty and there is water available I will drink it It would be ok to make it a universal law for everyone who is thirsty with water nearby to drink it because it would not cause any problems 4 Ross s ethical theory Ethics of Prima Facie Duty o Textbook definition To reach an all things considered moral verdict in cases in which two or more principles apply and favor conflicting actions one must use moral judgment to figure out which duty is most stringent o These duties do not reduce to ay others When the duties clash we must use our common sense to decide which one takes precedence Duties o Justice One ought to ensure that pleasure is distributed according to merit o Beneficence One ought to help those in need and in general increase the virtue pleasure and knowledge of others o Self Improvement One ought to improve oneself with respect to one s own virtue and knowledge o Nonmaleficence One ought to refrain from harming others o Fidelity One ought to keep one s promises o Reparation One ought to make amends to others for any past wrongs one has done them o Gratitude One ought to show gratitude toward one s benefactors 5 Normative Relativism Every country has their own moral rules and there is no set of rules that are the same in every country No set of rules superior 6 Virtue Theory Textbook definition An action is right if and only if and because it is what a virtuous agent acting in character would not avoid doing in the circumstances under consideration Understand what is right in terms of the virtuous A virtuous agent is one who has virtues Virtues are character traits we should have o Courage kindness temperance honesty justice Contrasts with vices o Cowardice cruelness greed dishonesty injustice The branch of ethics concerned with giving a general account of what 7 Normative Ethics is right and wrong 8 Harm Principle Textbook definition A liberty limiting principle according to which a government may justifiably pass laws to limit the liberty of its citizens in order to prohibit individuals from causing harm to other individuals or to society 9 Harm and its types An action causes harm if it directly undermines the rights of another person or a group of people Related to one s interests being frustrated or defeated Types of harm o Physical killing maiming or inflicting physical pain o Psychological harms to one s mental health o Economic harms as well as harms to one s career and reputation 10 Offense Principle Textbook definition A government may justifiably pass laws that interfere with individual liberty in order to prohibit individuals from offending others where offensive behavior includes causing others shame embarrassment or discomfort This principle asserts that the prevention of offensive conduct is properly the state s business Ex Laws prohibiting public nudity 11 Hate Speech Textbook definition Language oral or written that expresses strong hatred contempt or intolerance for some social group particularly social groups classified according to race ethnicity gender sexual orientation religion disability or nationality The aim of such speech is to degrade dehumanize intimidate or incite violence against members of the group being targeted 12 Speech Codes Any rule or regulation that limits restricts or bans speech beyond the strict legal limitations upon freedom of speech or press found in the legal definitions of harassment slander libel and fighting words Doe vs University of Michigan 1989 o UM prohibited Any behavior verbal or physical that stigmatizes or victimizes an individual on the basis of race ethnicity religion sex sexual orientation creed and that Creates an intimidating hostile or
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