Normative Ethics Lecture Notes

Overview of Ethics

• Ethics is concerned with what is permissible or impermissible.
• Questions focus on what is contingent (not necessary) and what is possible (can or cannot happen).
• Ethical scenarios often involve questions about what should happen.

Types of Ethics

1. Normative Ethics

   • Focuses on the norms, standards, and criteria for ethical action.
   • Addresses ideal do's and don'ts for actions to be considered ethical.
   • Explores different theories that outline what constitutes ethical behavior.

2. Applied Ethics

   • Not covered in depth, but involves the application of ethical theories to real-world situations.

3. Meta-Ethics

   • Concerns the meaning and scope of ethical terms and judgments.
   • Questions the universality and nature of ethical standards.

Normative Ethical Theories

• Objective: Provide standards to judge actions as right or wrong.
• Examples of Normative Theories:
  • Consequentialist
  • Hedonism

Consequentialist Theories

• The outcome of an action justifies the means.
• If consequences of an action are good, the action is considered right.

Hedonism

• Focuses on pleasure as the main criterion for ethical action.
• Actions are ethical if they align with what feels good or pleases someone.

Comparison and Characteristics

• Consequentialist vs. Hedonistic:
  • Consequentialist ethics consider outcomes, while hedonistic ethics focus on pleasure.
• Objectivity:
  • Some theories propose that ethical standards are universal (always right or wrong), while others may be more situational.

Conclusion

• Each normative ethical theory provides a different perspective on what constitutes ethical behavior.
• Understanding these theories helps in identifying the standards used to judge actions as ethical or unethical.