ETHICS

DEFINED: The study and philosophy of

human conduct with emphasis on the
determination of right and wrong.

Normative Ethics
Descriptive Ethics

Metaethics
• Normative Ethics: [often called philosophical
ethics] search for norms, not in the sense of what
is average, but in the sense of authoritative
standards of what it “ought” to be.

• Descriptive Ethics: empirically based, aims to

discover and describe the moral beliefs of a
specific culture.

• Metaethics: the study of the discipline of ethics.

It attempts to determine meanings of normative
terms, e.g. right, wrong, good, bad, ought, etc.
 Normative Ethics – Major Theories

• Consequentialist (Teleological)
Maintains the morality of an action is determined
by its consequences.

Teleological theories interpret moral judgements

as dependent on values and evaluation, hinging
on value theory. Hedonism as a value theory
says ONLY PLEASURE IS GOOD AS AN END.
• Utilitarianism is hedonistic because it interprets
happiness as a balance of pleasure over pain.
[John S. Mill]

• Ideal (Social) Utilitarianism is nonhedonistic,

maintaining that one ought to do that act of all
acts available (under the circumstances) that
would produce the most good. [G.E. Moore]
• Self-Realization (Perfectionism) is also
nonhedonistic, holding that the ultimate end is
the full development or perfection of the self.

• Egoism is based on the idea that everyone

always acts out of self-interest, i.e. an action is
only right if it’s in the best interest of the person.

• Situationism claims that morality of an action

depends on the situation, not on application of
law to the case.
 Nonconsequentialist (Deontological)

• Deontological theories claim that the morality of

an action depends on its intrinsic nature, on its
motives, or on its being in accord with some rule
or principle.

• Theological (divine command) theory maintains

that it’s the will of god that determines
rightness/wrongness an action. Is it in accord
with the will of God? [St. Augustine]
• Categorical Imperative: For morally right
action, one must be willing to have everyone act
in the same way, i.e. qualify as a universal law.
[Immanuel Kant] Additionally, one’s actions can
only have moral worth if one’s motive for acting
was to do what is right. (no accidental moral
worth allowed)
 Metaethics

• Principle approaches in metaethics are:

Naturalism, Cognitivism, Intuitionism, and
Subjectivism