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Ethics
Happiness
Kant
Utilitarianism
Rand
100
Philosophical ethics is not merely concerned with what we currently value or have valued in the past, but is most importantly concerned with this.
What is what we ~ought~ to value?
100
Although we currently translate Eudaimonia as happiness, this might be a better synonym (given our current pleasure-centric meaning for happiness).
What is self-actualization or flourishing?
100
For Kant, we don't automatically deserve to seek happiness, as we must first be this.
What is ~worthy~ of happiness?
100
For utilitarianism, whatever method we use to attain the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people has this value.
What is instrumental value?
100
For Rand, this is our (human beings) basic means to survival, and for her choosing life means choosing to act in accordance with this.
What is reason?
200
Criticisms of this popular approach are that ~if this approach is true~, claims by this approach may be self-refuting or at least inconsistent, we cannot criticize another culture's acts of murder, torture, etc., we have little ground to learn from other cultures, and we have trouble with the notion of improving our own culture.
What is cultural relativism?
200
According to this theory, all of my actions are necessarily motivated by attaining pleasure and avoiding pain.
What is psychological hedonism?
200
For Kant, it is not enough to act consistently with this, as actions are ethical or unethical based on whether they are motivated by or from this.
What is by or from duty?
200
By "happiness", the majority of utilitarian theorists mean this version of happiness.
What is hedonism?
200
For Rand, the ultimate goal is not just survival but ~my~ survival, and not merely my short-term survival but my long-term survival as
What is "man qua man"?
300
This is the common theme between our philosophers in terms of ultimate good (well, all except for Kant)
What is the notion of happiness?
300
A dissatisfied Socrates is better than a satisfied fool, according to Mill, for this reason.
What is Socrates was seeking the better good in wisdom, while the popular, wealthy fools who enjoyed richness and fame thrived on being ignorant (while fooling others of their ignorance) and seeking lesser goods?
300
The statement, "I should treat others how I would myself want to be treated" doesn't fit Kant's fundamental doctrine for this reason.
What is the Golden Rule is based on inclination and not purely motivated from duty itself.
300
These are the three major statements of Classical Utilitarianism.
What is consequences are all that matter, we are always geared toward the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, and each person gets equal consideration for ethical decisions.
300
For Rand, we must work hard for our happiness, and we must work toward our self-interest, with the resulting proper, merit-based senses of self-esteem and this being crucial ways in which our accomplishments are visible to ourselves.
What is pride?
400
Ethical theories may differ on what they take to be an ultimate good, but they may also differ on method toward attaining the ultimate good. Utilitarianism focuses solely on consequences, so that the ends justify the means and our method has instrumental value. These are the other two different methodological approaches toward being ethical that we have covered.
What is virtue and proper motivation (motivation from duty)
400
This is the mean (or virtue) between the vices of greed and sloth, for Aristotle
What is ambition?
400
This is Kant's "Practical Imperative" or Humanity Formulation of the Categorical Imperative.
What is never treat any people (including myself) solely as means to my ends, but always as ends in themselves.
400
Bernard Williams was concerned that utilitarianism doesn't account for this important feature of ethical decision-making.
What is integrity?
400
Other ethical theories are against human nature, according to Rand, all with the common theme of death and self-sacrifice, or this ethical theory:
What is altruism?
500
Ethics and Law must be seen as different from each other. For example, these are two reasons in which we may perform civil disobedience (because something was both legal and unethical):
What is any three examples of civil disobedience, like MLK and others against racial inequality, Gandhi and British tyranny over India, Thoreau and unethical taxation, and any hypothetical cases.
500
These are three differences between Eudaimonia and Hedonism.
What is Eudaimonia is always a very active approach while hedonism may be a passive approach, virtue is the major means toward Eudaimonia while attaining pleasure the major means toward hedonism, pleasure is the result of good actions for Eudaimonia, while pleasure is the goal for hedonism, Eudaimonia takes a lifetime to perfect, hedonism can have a wide range depending on particular theory (including a moment), etc.
500
If I created a categorical imperative that it is okay to lie on my resume, this is one way in which Kant may say it fails.
What is it treats the possible employers as means to my ends alone; if everybody lied on their resumes the notion of resumes as descriptions of work/service history would be false and/or contradictory; universalizing lies is self-contradictory; etc.
500
Here are three possible critiques of utilitarianism
What is it is willing to treat people solely as means (and not ends in themselves); we don't have as much knowledge of future consequences as we may like to think; justice, integrity, or truth may count as well; very difficult if not impossible to follow; something wrong with Brave New World scenarios that allow for more pleasure at the sacrifice of other values; etc..
500
For Rand, this is how she views love itself.
What is love is selfish; love is merited solely on the other's virtue and value (and reflection of my values); there is no such thing as selfless love and we have to say "I" before "I love you"; etc.