What is SIMPLE SUBJECTIVISM?
all moral judgments are statements of one’s personal approval or disapproval
What is CULTURAL RELATIVISM?
Ethical and social standards reflect the cultural context from which they are derived.
Cultures differ fundamentally from one another, and so do the moral frameworks that structure relations within different societies
What is MORAL UNIVERSALISM?
Moral principles and ethical systems apply universally to all people, regardless of their culture, religion, race, or other distinguishing characteristics.
What is UTILITARIANISM?
Determines the morality of an action by its outcomes. John Stuart Mill’s ultimate goal - promoting happiness is ultimately the point of ethics. The principal of utility, or the greatest happiness principal.
CONSEQUENTIALISM: If the action (whether right or wrong) brings out a positive consequence
WELFARISM: The main thing that is intrinsically good is happiness (well-being)
HEDONISM: The pursuit of pleasure - with the absence of pain or suffering
IMPARTIALITY: Everyone’s happiness and well-being should be treated as equal. “All for one, none for more than one”.
What is DEONTOLOGY?
Morality based on ethical rules/ duty.
Ethical idea that right and wrong are determined by rules and duties, not by the outcomes of your actions.
Emmanuel Kant’s view on ethical duties.
The belief in good will, that the motivation behind an action is morally right. Which means acting out of a sense of moral duty rather than for self-interest or desire.
What is universal law?
A scientific principle that holds true everywhere in the universe, like Kant’s philosophical concept of an underlying rule for conduct and action that is fundamentally true and legitimate across all time and cultures
What is a maxim?
The principle you are acting on. “The reason you’re doing whatever you’re doing”
What is the ‘philosophy of swine’ objection?
The Swine Objection is a philosophical challenge to utilitarianism, arguing that if happiness is the only good, then human happiness is no different from a pig’s pleasure, making it a “doctrine worthy only of swine”. John Stuart Mill, a utilitarian philosopher, refutes this by distinguishing between higher (intellectual, moral) and lower (sensual) pleasures, asserting that humans are capable of both, and that true human happiness requires the gratification of these higher faculties, which distinguishes human life from that of animals.
Mill’s response to the Demandingness objection of Utilitarianism?
His version of utilitarianism requires people to be excessively altruistic, demanding constant sacrifice of personal comfort and projects to maximize overall happiness, to an extent that clashes with common-sense morality and personal well-being.
In his time, this meant to ‘focus on the good of those closest to us, those whom we are best situated to help’
Mill’s response to Un-demandingness of Utilitarianism?
He argued that society should be structured to align individual self-interest with the collective good, through rewards and education, making it easier for people to naturally want to promote others’ happiness.
Pros and Cons of Simple Subjectivism
PROS:
- Individual Autonomy
- Recognizes moral diversity
- Is simple to understand
-“Live and Let Live”
CONS:
- No one is ever held at fault of their own moral judgments
- Eliminates disagreements
- Could justify harmful actions/cannot condemn disrespectful views and behavior
Pros and Cons of Cultural Relativism
PROS:
- Fosters tolerance and understanding
- Promotes diversity
- Encourages social change (allows for new ideas to be seen and respected)
CONS:
- Hinders moral progress (no moral standard is universally ‘right’
- Grants immunity of criticism to other cultures because respect must be held
Pros and Cons of Moral Universalism
PROS:
- Can condemn immoral actions like slavery and genocide
- Can lead to moral progress because it allows for self-reflection
- Allows for societal stability
CONS:
- Opens the door to cultural insensitivity
- Applying standards like this can be difficult because it can overlook context
- May conflict with individual values
- Risk of moral imperialism
What is cultural imperialism?
The imposition of a powerful culture’s values, practices, and ideas onto another, less dominant culture, often through mass media, education, and economic influence
Explain Kant’s categorical imperative:.
A rule of ethics that states you should only act on principles you could want everyone to act on, and you should treat other people as valuable beings, not just as tools to achieve your own goals. To check if an action is moral, you ask: 1) “What if everyone did this?” AND “Can we imagine world where everyone did this?” and 2) “Does this treat others with respect?” (Because each person has intrinsic value and is a rational being with their own goals and rights)
If the answer to the first is “no” (because it leads to a contradiction) or the answer to the second is “no,” then the action is not moral.
Explain Kant’s hypothetical imperative:
A conditional command, telling you to do something if you want to achieve a particular goal, like “If you want to pass the test, you should study”. It’s not a universal moral rule but rather a statement of prudence based on personal desires and is therefore optional.
