Applied Ethics Exam 1

Ethics

The philosophical study of morality.

Morality

Beliefs concerning right and wrong, good and bad; they can include judgments, rules, principles, and theories.

Descriptive Ethics

The scientific study of moral beliefs and practices.

Normative Ethics

The study of the principles, rules, or theories that guide our actions and judgments.

Metaethics

The study of the meaning and logical structure of moral beliefs.

Applied Ethics

The application of moral norms to specific moral issues or cases, particularly those in a profession such as medicine or law.

Instrumentally (extrinsically) valuable

Valuable as a means to something else. (Tools)

Intrinsically valuable

Valuable in and of itself, for its own sake.

Objectivism

The view that there are some universal moral standards.

Cultural Relativism

The view that an action is morally right if one's culture approves of it.

Subjective (individual) Relativism

The view that morality is a matter of personal belief.

Emotivism

Moral views are simply expressions of emotions or attitudes.