Philosophy 210B Exam 1 SVSU
Applied Ethics - ✔️✔️1. Key question: Which acts are permissible, impermissible, and
obligatory? 2. Examples a. everyday ethical decisions b. decisions of ethics boards in
hospitals c. codes of conduct
Normative Ethical Theory - ✔️✔️1. Key questions: a. Why is act x permissible
(impermissible, obligatory)? b. What establishes my obligation to do x (or to refrain from
x)?
C. Moral Epistemology - ✔️✔️Moral Epistemology 1. Epistemology is the theory of
knowledge a. How do we know that a given statement is true? b. What are the sources
of knowledge? 2. So moral epistemology has to do with how we come to know or
believe moral statements 3. Possible sources for moral knowledge a.
Feelings/Conscience b. Authority/Environment: parents c. Reason (Kant) d. Moral
sense (Intuitionism) • "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, thát
among these are Life, Liberty, and the půrsuit of Happiñess."
Relativism - ✔️✔️Cultural Relativism: 'x is right if the majority of persons in a given
culture approve of x' - Unlike facts about biology or chemistry, there is no one set of
moral facts for all people
Subjectivism: - ✔️✔️'x is right if I approve of x' - More radical
Moral Epistemology and Relativism - ✔️✔️What's the moral epistemology for a CR? I
What's the moral epistemology for a subjectivist?
Ethics and Technology - ✔️✔️• Technological changes make doing ethics more
difficult, but not impossible
• Many of our basic ethical concepts will work
• still advances in technology often percent unforeseen problems. Medicine: The
defibrillator. Plus size: saves lives. Ethical problems: when not to use
Technology Privacy: The Supreme Court has ruled that we all have a constitutional right
to privacy - ✔️✔️Clear example: your landlord cannot install cameras in your apartment
Difficult example: infrared detection from the street - Easy example: police entering your
house without a warrant Difficult example : police attaching GPS device to your car (no
warrant)
Applied Ethics - ✔️✔️1. Key question: Which acts are permissible, impermissible, and
obligatory? 2. Examples a. everyday ethical decisions b. decisions of ethics boards in
hospitals c. codes of conduct
Normative Ethical Theory - ✔️✔️1. Key questions: a. Why is act x permissible
(impermissible, obligatory)? b. What establishes my obligation to do x (or to refrain from
x)?
C. Moral Epistemology - ✔️✔️Moral Epistemology 1. Epistemology is the theory of
knowledge a. How do we know that a given statement is true? b. What are the sources
of knowledge? 2. So moral epistemology has to do with how we come to know or
believe moral statements 3. Possible sources for moral knowledge a.
Feelings/Conscience b. Authority/Environment: parents c. Reason (Kant) d. Moral
sense (Intuitionism) • "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, thát
among these are Life, Liberty, and the půrsuit of Happiñess."
Relativism - ✔️✔️Cultural Relativism: 'x is right if the majority of persons in a given
culture approve of x' - Unlike facts about biology or chemistry, there is no one set of
moral facts for all people
Subjectivism: - ✔️✔️'x is right if I approve of x' - More radical
Moral Epistemology and Relativism - ✔️✔️What's the moral epistemology for a CR? I
What's the moral epistemology for a subjectivist?
Ethics and Technology - ✔️✔️• Technological changes make doing ethics more
difficult, but not impossible
• Many of our basic ethical concepts will work
• still advances in technology often percent unforeseen problems. Medicine: The
defibrillator. Plus size: saves lives. Ethical problems: when not to use
Technology Privacy: The Supreme Court has ruled that we all have a constitutional right
to privacy - ✔️✔️Clear example: your landlord cannot install cameras in your apartment
Difficult example: infrared detection from the street - Easy example: police entering your
house without a warrant Difficult example : police attaching GPS device to your car (no
warrant)
