Approbative ethical theory

PHI 2604 – Critical Thinking/Ethics Handouts Lenel

Rev. 5/2020

1

PHILOSOPHY

I. Metaphysics – the study of reality.

II. Ontology – the study of being. III. Epistemology – the study of knowledge

IV. Axiology – the study of values.

A. Ethics – the study of moral values (e.g. moral rightness and moral goodness).

1. Subjective Ethical Theories – there are no objective moral values or moral facts.

a) Approbative Ethical Theories – the moral rightness of an act is based

on some moral authority’s attitude of approval toward the act.

i) Subjective Relativism – An act is morally right if the agent approves of it.

ii) The Divine Command Theory – An act is morally right because God approves of it.

iii) Cultural Relativism – An act is morally right because one’s culture approves of it. b) Emotivism – moral utterances are merely expressions of emotions and are neither true nor false.

2. Normative (Objective) Ethical Theories – The moral rightness of an act is an objective

moral value independent of anyone’s approval of the act. a) Consequential (Axiological) theories – the moral rightness of an act is determined

by the moral goodness of its consequences.

i) Ethical Egoism – the morally right act is the act that produces the most moral

goodness in its consequences for the agent (compared to any other act).

ii) Utilitarianism – the morally right act is the act that produces the most moral

goodness in its consequences for everyone affected by the act (compared to any

other act).

b) Nonconsequential (Deontological) theories – the moral rightness of an act cannot be

determined by the moral goodness of its consequences.

i) Extreme – consequences are completely irrelevant to the moral rightness of an act

(e.g. Kant).

ii) Moderate – consequences are one factor among many that determine the moral

rightness of an act (e.g. Ross).

B. Aesthetics – the study of aesthetic values (e.g. beauty).

C. Political Philosophy – the study of sovereignty and just social organization.

V. Logic – the study of arguments.

A. Deduction – The truth of the premises is supposed to guarantee the truth of the conclusion. (valid vs. invalid deductive arguments)

B. Induction – The truth of the premises makes the conclusion more probable. (degrees of strength)

VI. Metastudies – the philosophy of…

A. science C. religion E. mathematics

B. history D. psychology F. philosophy (etc.)

PHI 2604 – Critical Thinking/Ethics Handouts Lenel

Rev. 5/2020

2

Terms to Know for Quiz One

Ethics - The study of moral values

Subjective Ethical Theories -

Emotivism - The moral theory that claims that moral utterances have no cognitive content but merely express emotions.

Approbative Ethical Theories - The moral rightness of an act is based on some moral authority’s attitude of approval toward the act.

Subjective Relativism - An act is morally right because the agent approves of the act.

The Divine Command Theory - An act is morally right because God approves of it.

Cultural Relativism - An act is morally right because the majority of one’s culture approves of the act.

Objective Ethical Theories - Ethical theories that agree that moral values exist objectively, independent of people’s beliefs or attitudes.

Consequentialism - The moral rightness of an act is based only on the moral goodness of its consequences.

Ethical Egoism - The object of every action ought to be the agent’s own good.

Utilitarianism - The morally right act best promotes the common good.

Nonconsequentialism - The moral rightness of an act is not based only on the moral goodness of its consequences.

Logic - The study of arguments

Argument - A set of statements such that one statement is said to follow from the other statements.

Conclusion - The statement that is said to the follow from the other statements in an argument.

Premise - The statements from which the conclusion is said to follow in an argument.

Induction - An argument in which the truth of the premises make the conclusion more likely to be true.

Deduction - An argument in which the truth of the premises is supposed to guarantee the truth of the conclusion.

Valid - A deductive argument in which the truth of the premises guarantees the truth of the conclusion.

Invalid - A deductive argument in which the truth of the premises does not guarantee the truth of the conclusion.

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