Summary of The Fundamental Of Ethics by Russ Shafer-Landau (4th edition). This document includes Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 as well as the explanation of some general terms used in ethics. I got an 8 out of 10 for this exam.
General Terms
Norm: standard or rule describing what we can do (permission) or ought to do (obliga8on)
Value: general aspect/feature of life we find important
Norms and values are o>en implicit only!
Norma8ve statement: expresses a norm or s8pulates value of sth
Descrip8ve statement: describes a factual maCer
An argument is valid if: conclusion follows from premises
Sound if: argument is valid & premises are true
To know how our lives can be beCer, we first need to know how they can be good. We need a standard that
will help us determine our own level of welfare or well-being.
Things that improve our well being:
Instrumental goods:
-things whose value consist in the fact that they help to bring about other good things (of intrinsic value)
—> pave way to a beCer life —> examples: vaccina8ons, money
Intrinsically valuable things:
-valuable in their own right, worth pursuing for their own sake, value does not depend on being a means to
anything else that is valuable
-examples (controversial): happiness, knowledge, desire sa8sfac8on
Chapter 1: Hedonism — Its Powerful Appeal
Hedonism:
A good life is one that is full of sustained enjoyment, containing minimal misery and sadness
-tells us that there is only a single thing that is intrinsically good for us: happiness.
-Everything else improves our lives only to the extent that it makes us happier.
-Unhappiness is the only thing that directly reduces our quality of life, and is therefore the only intrinsically
bad thing.
According to hedonists: a life is good to the extent that it is filled with pleasure and is free of pain.
Dis8nguish two different kinds of pleasure
1. physical pleasure (ea8ng a delicious apple, massage)
2. AUtudinal pleasure (=enjoyment) = happiness as a hedonist understands it, the posi8ve aUtude of
enjoyment
Started with Epicurus:
-argued that pleasure was only thing worth pursuing
-most pleasant condi8on: inner peace
John Stuart Mill:
-argued that pleasure comes in different levels of quality
-best pleasures: those who come through hard work (especially work of the mind)
What hedonism can explain:
-there is a variety of ways to a good life because: many paths to happiness —> offers flexibility
-what makes us happy is largely a maCer of personal choice (though hedonism gives us input/sugges8ons)
-hedonism honors both standard and uncommon sources of happiness
Test of Hedonism:
If something makes you happier, then it promotes your well-being; if something fails to make you happier,
then it fails to promotes your well-being.
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