Philosophy 105 Exam 1
Normative (Prescriptive) - ANS-Study of principles, rules or theories that guide our
actions and judgments. How things OUGHT TO BE.
Descriptive - ANS-Study of moral beliefs and practices to describe how people behave.
How things ARE.
Reflective Equilibrium - ANS-When a theory explains all our data and all data supports
the theory
Morality differences from Legality - ANS-- Morals aren't laws
- Legal systems cover fewer types of behavior
- Laws are enforced differently than moral principles
-Law and morality sometimes conflict
Morality differences from Religion - ANS-- Not all moral theories have religious origins
- Religious moral theories are held to be beyond rational criticism revision.. not so with
non-religious ones
4 basic traits of moral principles - ANS--Normativity (Prescriptivity)
- Universalizing
- Overridingness
- Practicability
1/4 basic traits: Normativity (Prescriptivity) - ANS-- Moral principles are immediately
action guiding (prescriptive)
- Often expressed as commands
- Ex. Do not kill/Love your neighbor
2/4 basic traits: Universalizing - ANS-- If act A is right (or wrong) for some person P,
than A is right (or wrong) for anyone relevantly similar to P
- People often disagree about which similarities are relevant
3/4 basic traits: Overridingness - ANS-- Moral principles provide standards for
evaluating legal laws
- Overrides what's best for you
- Ex. Resist stealing money for yourself
, 4/4 basic traits: Practicability - ANS-- Morality can't require us to do that which is beyond
our abilities
- Ought implies can; if you ought to do X than you can do X
Terms used to evaluate: Actions - ANS-Permissible (right) -> Required or Optional ->
Neutral or Supererogatory / Impermissible (wrong)
Terms used to evaluate: Consequences - ANS-Good, Bad, Neutral
- Can a good action have a bad consequence?
- Can a bad action have a good consequence?
Terms used to evaluate: Motives - ANS-good, evil or neutral
- Motive is a reason why you are acting
- Can a right action have evil motive? Can an evil action have a good motive?
Terms used to evaluate: Character - ANS-virtuous (good), vicious (evil) or neither
- Can a good person act wrongly (Michael Vick)? Can a bad person act rightly
(Heisenberg)?
Ethical Relativism: Agent-privileging subjectivism - ANS-The truth of a moral judgment
depends entirely on what the agent believes.
Ethical Relativism: Appraiser-privileging subjectivism - ANS-The truth of a moral
judgment depends entirely on what the appraiser believes.
Ethical Relativism: Agent-privileging conventionalism - ANS-The truth of a moral
judgment depends entirely on what a culture holds.
Ethical Relativism: Appraiser- privileging conventionalism - ANS-The truth of a moral
judgment depends entirely on what the appraiser's culture holds.
Subjectivism - ANS-The truth of a moral judgment depends entirely on an individual's
beliefs.
Conventionalism - ANS-The truth of a moral judgment depends entirely on a culture's
code.
Objection to Agent Subjectivism - ANS-Ex. This would force use to believe that serial
killer Ted Bundy's actions were permissible which is unacceptable.
- Can't let acts go just because of someone's beliefs
Normative (Prescriptive) - ANS-Study of principles, rules or theories that guide our
actions and judgments. How things OUGHT TO BE.
Descriptive - ANS-Study of moral beliefs and practices to describe how people behave.
How things ARE.
Reflective Equilibrium - ANS-When a theory explains all our data and all data supports
the theory
Morality differences from Legality - ANS-- Morals aren't laws
- Legal systems cover fewer types of behavior
- Laws are enforced differently than moral principles
-Law and morality sometimes conflict
Morality differences from Religion - ANS-- Not all moral theories have religious origins
- Religious moral theories are held to be beyond rational criticism revision.. not so with
non-religious ones
4 basic traits of moral principles - ANS--Normativity (Prescriptivity)
- Universalizing
- Overridingness
- Practicability
1/4 basic traits: Normativity (Prescriptivity) - ANS-- Moral principles are immediately
action guiding (prescriptive)
- Often expressed as commands
- Ex. Do not kill/Love your neighbor
2/4 basic traits: Universalizing - ANS-- If act A is right (or wrong) for some person P,
than A is right (or wrong) for anyone relevantly similar to P
- People often disagree about which similarities are relevant
3/4 basic traits: Overridingness - ANS-- Moral principles provide standards for
evaluating legal laws
- Overrides what's best for you
- Ex. Resist stealing money for yourself
, 4/4 basic traits: Practicability - ANS-- Morality can't require us to do that which is beyond
our abilities
- Ought implies can; if you ought to do X than you can do X
Terms used to evaluate: Actions - ANS-Permissible (right) -> Required or Optional ->
Neutral or Supererogatory / Impermissible (wrong)
Terms used to evaluate: Consequences - ANS-Good, Bad, Neutral
- Can a good action have a bad consequence?
- Can a bad action have a good consequence?
Terms used to evaluate: Motives - ANS-good, evil or neutral
- Motive is a reason why you are acting
- Can a right action have evil motive? Can an evil action have a good motive?
Terms used to evaluate: Character - ANS-virtuous (good), vicious (evil) or neither
- Can a good person act wrongly (Michael Vick)? Can a bad person act rightly
(Heisenberg)?
Ethical Relativism: Agent-privileging subjectivism - ANS-The truth of a moral judgment
depends entirely on what the agent believes.
Ethical Relativism: Appraiser-privileging subjectivism - ANS-The truth of a moral
judgment depends entirely on what the appraiser believes.
Ethical Relativism: Agent-privileging conventionalism - ANS-The truth of a moral
judgment depends entirely on what a culture holds.
Ethical Relativism: Appraiser- privileging conventionalism - ANS-The truth of a moral
judgment depends entirely on what the appraiser's culture holds.
Subjectivism - ANS-The truth of a moral judgment depends entirely on an individual's
beliefs.
Conventionalism - ANS-The truth of a moral judgment depends entirely on a culture's
code.
Objection to Agent Subjectivism - ANS-Ex. This would force use to believe that serial
killer Ted Bundy's actions were permissible which is unacceptable.
- Can't let acts go just because of someone's beliefs
