| A | B |
|---|
| act utilitarianism | This version of utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of a single act; the consequences from the action should be such that the greatest good for the greatest number is maximized |
| rule utilitarianism | This version of utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of following a rule of action (i.e., a type of action done repeatedly), and not just a single action: the consequences for following the rule is that the greatest good for the greatest number is maximized |
| utilitarianism | The theory that one ought to maximize the greatest good (happiness) for the greatest number. |
| Mill's higher and lower pleasures | This relies on the notion that some of our characteristics as human beings are more valuable to our humanity than others. |
| the primary weakness of the utilitarian view | The majority can create great harm to the minority of people if it creates happiness for the majority. |
| The greatest good for the greatest number | This is the idea that happiness is maximized not just for one a small group but the largest group possible and not just for now but from the longest time possible; maximizes happiness for as many people as possible on the planet for as many centuries as possible |
| two significant problems for utilitarianism | 1) the difficulty in measuring pleasures and pain;2) the idea that the majority could have pleasure maximized at the expense of the minority |
| Mill's Harm Principle | "The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others." |
| moral code | a set of rules or principles that people use to determine whether an action is right or wrong |
| cultural relativism | the theory that different societies or cultures have different moral codes; this is a descriptive theory |
| ethical relativism | the theory that there is no universal moral code; whatever the majority of a particular society or culture considers is morally right is morally right for that culture; this is a normative theory |
| an advantage of ethical relativism | it fosters tolerance |
| two disadvantages of ethical relativism | 1) No one can protest against horrible actions if the majority of a society approves of it; and 2) there is no basis for improving ethical codes of a culture |
| The article "Trying Out One's New Sword" | makes an argument against moral isolationism (which goes along with ethical relativism) |
| moral isolationism | Maintains that we can never know a culture well enough to make any judgments/evaluations of it, either positively or negatively |
| Midgely's criticism of moral isolationism | If we cannot make judgments/assessments of other cultures, we also cannot make any of our own; then no moral progress is possible |
| John Stuart Mill | Elaborated on the theory of utilitarianism with his notion of higher and lower pleasures |
| Ethics of care | a feminist approach to ethics that emphasizes caring for others |
| Weakness of ethics of care | Caring without rational principles assisting in making decision about what to do can result in vague criterion: two people can equally care but end up with different responses |
| divine command theory | something is good because God commands it and evil because God forbids it |
| ethical absolutism | there exist ethical principles that hold across time and different cultures |
| In act utilitarianism, the consequences of the immediate future are taken into account but not long term consequences | false |
| In rule utilitarianism, the immediate consequences and long term consequences are taken into consideration | true |
| ethical egoism | one should look after one's own self-interest |
| ethical altruism | one should look after the interests of other people |
| Is it the egoist or the altruist who is more likely to get in trouble with the law? | the egoist, who is thinking about his self-interest in breaking the law, a law which is enacted for the good of all |
| Frank Serpico behaved in an altruistic way when | he was willing to suffer for the sake of trying to create a more ethical police department in New York City |
| a weakness of ethical absolutism | it can foster intolerance |
| a strength of ethical absolutism | some horrible things are accepted as wrong at all times, such as murder, slavery, and rape |
| a strength of ethics of care is that | it can provide guidance where reasoning falls short: for example, it can through compassion guide someone to smile and be pleasant toward another when reason has said the person needs to be respected. Caring gives specific dimension to the rational concept of "respect." |
| the ethics of care arose because | Kohlberg said females were less morally mature than males and feminists proposed that having compassion toward others was as morally developed as relying on rational principles |
