CSCI 1 Week 3 Day 2 - Moral Frameworks
0Today we talked about 8 different theories of what makes things right or wrong.
1) That which is legal is that that which is good, that which is illegal is that which is evil.
2) Might makes right
3) Consequentialism - the morality of actions are judges on their consequences. The most famous form of this is Utilitarianism. Hedonistic Utilitarianism judges all actions on their net pleasure vs. pain they cause to people. If an action causes more pleasure than pain, it is moral. If it causes more pain than pleasure, it is immoral.
4) Deontology - the notion that it is your duty to do something that makes something right, not the consequences. Kantian Ethics is the most famous brand of this, and states that you should only take actions that could be universals, i.e. could be done by everyone.
5) Divine Command Theory - the notion that God (or equivalent depending on religion) determines what is right or wrong.
6) Virtue Ethics - that a person should embody virtuous ideals such as self-control, honesty, humility, empathy, charity, bravery, and so forth.
7) Natural Rights - Humans all have certain inalienable rights, such as life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. Moral actions are those that protect or respect those rights. Immoral actions are those that violate them.
8) Social Construction - there is no universal standard of right or wrong, but rather that groups collectively decide what is right or wrong for them.