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Definition
| Usually a deontological way of thinking. Suffering of offenders is deserved, hence the punishment can be intrinsically good regardless of the consequences. |
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Term
| Principle of Lex Talionis |
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Definition
| This means that a harm should be equal to the offense. Sometimes people say "an eye for an eye." Essentially someone who kills another deserves to be killed. |
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Definition
| A harm should be in proportion to the crime committed, not necesarily exactly the same. |
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Term
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Definition
Pornography: depiction of women in positions of sexualized subordination (according to C. MacKinnon)
Erotica: sexually stimulating material without subordination |
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Term
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Definition
| The law should prohibit practices that harm others (but remember, this harm must be serious enough to justify limiting others' freedoms) |
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Definition
| Law should prohibit us from harming ourselves. |
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Term
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Definition
| Law should prohibit obscenity (that causes serious offense) |
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Term
Is free speech an absolute right?
Libertarian vs. J.S. Mill |
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Definition
Libertarian: Species of liberty rights which are absolute. (But liberties can conflict, can't they?)
J.S. Mill: Free speech is necessary to promote truth over error in the marketplace of ideas.
Either the i. opinion is right, and silencing it would deprive society of knowing it or ii. opinion is wrong and silencing it would deprive society of seeing it refuted. |
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Definition
| Bringing about a person's death for their own good. |
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Term
Passive euthanasia
(Also compare ordinary from extraordinary) |
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Definition
To withhold treatment and essentially let a person die from natural causes.
Ordinary: to withhold basic needs to keep person alive (food, water)
Extraordinary: to withhold extreme measures like organ donation, high risk medications |
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Term
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Definition
| To do something to bring about death artifically |
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Term
| Mercy Killing vs. physician assisted suicide |
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Definition
Mercy Killing: someone commits the act to kill another person
Physician assisted suicide: doctor sets up situation but the person himself takes the final action. The person is committing suicide. |
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Term
| Euthanasia by means of consent: voluntary, nonvoluntary, involuntary |
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Definition
Voluntary: They agree to die.
Nonvoluntary: They lack the capacity of consenting so someone else chooses for them.
Involuntary: Others choose to end the person's life against their wishes. |
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Term
| Needless suffering principle |
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Definition
| Suffering should not be prolonged needlessly |
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Term
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Definition
| This is the moral difference between acting intending some result and merely acting with the expectation of that result. |
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Term
| Principle of Double Effect |
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Definition
It is morally okay to bring about an expected but unintended side effect that would be wrong to bring about intentionally.
A patient is in serious pain, the doctor administers an extremely high risk of painkillers to reduce the pain. The dose is so fatal it kills the patient. This result was expected but by no means intended. |
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Term
| Pacifism (and weak Pacifism) |
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Definition
Pacifism: Engaging in war is never morally justified.
-Killing people is always wrong.
-War kills people.
-War is wrong.
Weak Pacifism:
-It is always wrong to kill innocent people.
-War kills innocent people.
-War is wrong.
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Term
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Definition
Engaging in war is sometimes morally justified.
-A state has the best interests of its citizens and only its citizens in mind.
-Therefore, states aren't subject to the moral constraints concerning non-citizens.
-Engaging in war is sometimes in citizens' best interest.
-War is okay.
->But you inherit moral constraints of entire community.
->But they enter a social contract and have to agree to what is best for the entire community. Self-defense fod good of community>individual's wishes against violence. |
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Term
| Just war theory (weak militarism) |
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Definition
War is okay if (i) it is waged for a just cause and (ii) it is waged by a just mean
Just cause: self-defense, protection of rights, defense of another state, perhaps?
Just means: Any means? (In a state of war, any use of violence against the enemy is legitamite). |
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Term
| Proportionality constraint (under just cause) |
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Definition
| Probability and seriousness of threat must be high enough to enter war. |
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Term
| Last resort constraint (under just cause) |
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Definition
| Cause only justified if all other solutions have been exhausted. |
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Term
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Definition
| Violence aimed at innocent people with the goal of achieving political ends through fear |
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Term
| Kantian argument about sexual morality |
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Definition
Human dignity consists in rational freedom from animal nature.
-Sex involves treating human diginity as a means to satisfying desires of animal desires.
-Sex disrespects human dignity.
-Morality demands respect for dignity.
-Thus, abstinence is our only option. |
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Term
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Definition
Can be classified by:
1. differences on which it is based (race, sex, age, etc.)
2. purposes for which it is applied (admission, friends, employment)
Discrimination is treating things differently. |
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Term
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Definition
Action untertaken to increase proportions of people from particular under-represented groups (quotas preference, making efforts to attract certain people)
Pro: Provides role models, social integration, break social stereotypes, provide availability
Con: Underserving people getting advantage, bad for self-esteem, creates social resentment |
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Term
Animal rights objection from common sense |
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Definition
-They're just animals!
-But this kind of thinking was applied to Jews, women, marginalized
-But they are structured differently
How do we justify moral discrimination against animals?
A. Genetics: they are not us. But what about aliens that are smarter?
B. Lack of rationality: But what about marginalized humans?
C. Inability to make contracts: "
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Term
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Definition
| It is unjust to treat people differently unless there is a relevant different between them. |
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Term
| Biological essentialism (part of traditional view) |
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Definition
| Women and men are naturally different |
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Term
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Definition
Men are superior, women are inferior
Men are rational, impartial, dominant, public figures
Women are slaves to their passions, partial, submissive, emotional |
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Term
| Women's inferior sense (Kohlberg and Freud) |
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Definition
Moral maturity consists in: objectivity, impartiality, the ability to weigh righs and the ability to abstract general features from sitautions
But women are subjective, partial, compromise and uninterested in principles |
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Term
| Feminist/liberal critique |
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Definition
| We must distinguish the gender from sex. Genders are socially constructed (thinking men are masculine and women are feminine). Men and women share a common human nature as autonomous rational agents. |
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Term
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Definition
| Men and women have natural differences but women are not necessarily inferior. Women are better at nurturing, empathizing, building community, resolving disagreements peacefully |
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Term
| Gilligan/Noddings: Women have different moral perspectives |
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Definition
Care perspective: feminine, compassionate, care, value of personal relationships
Justice perspective: masculine, based on fairness and objectivity |
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Term
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Definition
| Justice requires that we achieve general equality for women as autonomous rational agents. This has not been accomplished as it means more than merely equal rights. It also means equal opportunity and equal treatment. |
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Term
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Definition
| Women cannot be equal until they are freed from feminine ideals, revolutionary social change is needed to eliminate masculine/feminine sexuality and traditional motherhood and family. |
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Term
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Definition
| Traditional gender roles ought to be preserved. |
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