Ethics PLC

Religious Approaches to Normative Ethics

Aquinas’ ideas around telos including origins of the significant concept of telos in Aristotle and its religious development in the writing of Aquinas

Aquinas’ ideas about the four tiers of law, what they are and how they are related.

Aquinas’ ideas about the precepts 

I can evaluate whether or not natural law provides a helpful method of moral decision-making

I can evaluate whether or not a judgement about something being good, bad, right or wrong can be based on its success or failure in achieving its telos

I can evaluate whether or not the universe as a whole is designed with a telos, or human nature has an orientation towards the good

I can evaluate whether or not the doctrine of double effect can be used to justify an action, such as killing someone as an act of self-defence

Fletcher’s situation ethics

Fletcher’s views on agape including the origins of agape in the New Testament and its religious development in the writing of Fletcher

Fletcher’s views on the six propositions: what they are and how they give rise to the theory of situation ethics and its approach to moral decision-making.

Fletcher’s views on the four working principles; what they are and how they are intended to be applied: pragmatisim, relativism, positivism and personalism.

Fletcher’s views on conscience: what conscience is and what it is not according to Fletcher, i.e. a verb not a noun; a term that describes attempts to make decisions creatively

I can evaluate whether or not situation ethics provides a helpful method of moral decision-making

I can evaluate whether or not an ethical judgement about something being good, bad, right or wrong can be based on the extent to which, in any given situation, agape is best served

I can evaluate whether Fletcher’s understanding of agape is really religious or whether it means nothing more than wanting the best for the person involved in a given situation

I can evaluate whether or not the rejection of absolute rules by situation ethics makes moral decisionmaking entirely individualistic and subjective

Normative ethical theories

Kant’s views on duty including origins of the concept of duty (acting morally according to the good regardless of consequences) in deontological and absolutist approaches to ethics

Kant’s views on the hypothetical imperatives and why they are not the imperatives of morality

Kant’s categorical imperative and its three formulations

Kant’s the three postulates, what they are and why in obeying a moral command they are being accepted

I can evaluate whether or not Kantian ethics provides a helpful method of moral decision-making

I can evaluate whether or not an ethical judgement about something being good, bad, right or wrong can be based on the extent to which duty is best served

I can evaluate whether or not Kantian ethics is too abstract to be applicable to practical moral decision-making

I can evaluate whether or not Kantian ethics is so reliant on reason that it unduly rejects the importance of other factors, such as sympathy, empathy and love in moral decision-making

Utilitarianism

The concept of Utility and Utility Calculus

Act and Rule Utilitarianism

I can evaluate whether or not utilitarianism provides a helpful method of moral decision-making

I can evaluate whether or not an ethical judgement about something being good, bad, right or wrong can be based on the extent to which, in any given situation, utility is best served

I can evaluate whether or not it is possible to measure good or pleasure and then reach a moral decision

Applied Ethics

Euthanasia: sanctity of life, quality of life, voluntary euthanasia and non-voluntary euthanasia

I can apply natural law and situation ethics to euthanasia

I can evaluate a range of relevant philosophical debates in relationship to euthanasia

Business Ethics:  corporate social responsibility, whilst-blowing, good ethics as good business & globalisation.

I can apply Kantian ethics and utilitarianism to business ethics

I can evaluate a range of relevant philosophical debates in relationship to business ethics