PP217 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Order Of Australia, Informed Consent, Immanuel Kant
PP217
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
Conclusions and reasons
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Conclusion: statement someone is trying to prove true (claim/position)
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Argument: a set of reasons given in support of a claim
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Arguments and conclusions are not the same thing- an argument is the set of
reasons given for accepting a conclusion, the conclusion to an argument is what
it aims to prove
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A conclusion can be true even if an argument is not sound, but if an argument is
sound, the conclusion must true
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You need to attack the arguments, not the conclusion
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Normative questions: about what ought to be done, what s right
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Descriptive questions: what is understood to be right or valuable
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Good: something that is of value
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Instrumental good: good that is of value because it aids our pursuit of other
goods
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Intrinsic good: we value for its own sake
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Guides to action: make claims that indicate the moral constraints on action
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According to utilitarianism/consequentialism one ought to maximize the
amount of whatever is good, obligation depends on value
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For a rule utilitarian, actions must conform to a rule, and the rule must conform
to the principle of utility
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Teleological theory of obligation: one obligation-maximize the good
consequences and minimize the bad
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Rule utilitarianism: an act is morally right if it conforms with a set of rules whose
general observance would maximize utility
Arguments, Ethical Theory and Utilitarianism
Friday, May 11, 2018
10:19 AM
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Deontology
Deontology: the study of the nature of duty and obligation
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The strongest form is Kant's theory- claims that our obligations have nothing to
do with the consequences of our actions
According to Kant we must follow right action that we are supposed to
follow, even if it will cause bad things to happen
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Categorical imperative: a command tat admits no exceptions (Kant's definition
of duty)
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Maxim of action: the statement someone might give about why they are doing
something
Ex: 'I don’t want this person becoming an addict, so I'll take away their
cigarettes' maxim= force someone to do something if it satisfies your goal
of benefiting her
○
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To universalize a maxim, it must become something of a law of nature, so that
the world works that way
Ex from earlier; f goal is to achieve my goal by force, then I must intent
others to achieve their aims as well, although their aims conflict with
mine. Can't be consistently universalized
○
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Kant's second version of the categorical imperative; autonomy. You can ask
people to do things, but they must make the choice
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Problems with Kant's theory
Categorical imperative I is unclear, some situations the maxim can be
moral and not
1.
Categorical imperative II is more clearly applicable, but the two versions
don't always agree
2.
Rigidity- Kant believed we should do justice, even if the world will be
destroyed by it
3.
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Pluralism
Ross suggests we have a number of independent duties- try to maximize utility
and try to respect autonomy. When these duties come into conflict, we must
weigh the conflicting duties, and do what the more serious duty demands
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Prima Facie: duty that outweighs the others is one's actual duty
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Problems with pluralism
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Deontology, Pluralism, and Feminism
Friday, May 11, 2018
10:33 AM
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Deontology: the study of the nature of duty and obligation. The strongest form is kant"s theory- claims that our obligations have nothing to do with the consequences of our actions. According to kant we must follow right action that we are supposed to follow, even if it will cause bad things to happen. Categorical imperative: a command tat admits no exceptions (kant"s definition of duty) Maxim of action: the statement someone might give about why they are doing something. Ex: "i don"t want this person becoming an addict, so i"ll take away their cigarettes" maxim= force someone to do something if it satisfies your goal of benefiting her. To universalize a maxim, it must become something of a law of nature, so that the world works that way. Ex from earlier; f goal is to achieve my goal by force, then i must intent others to achieve their aims as well, although their aims conflict with mine.
