Ethics
a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of right and wrong
The Moral Formula
An expression that would explain and define morality would let us be able to solve all current and future moral dilemmas an answer key to moral questions
1.2
Ethical Objectivism belief that claims there is a universally valid moral code basically, if something is morally wrong for one person, than it should be morally wrong for all people cultural beliefs about morality vary, but cultural acceptance doesn’t make something morally correct morality is not a matter of opinion but fact
Problem is that there is too much disagreement among cultures and people about what is right and wrong so much disagreement that it leads people to believe that there is not true right and wrong
There is one complete set of morally right answers
1.3
Ethical Relativism belief that claims there is no such thing as a universally valid moral code basically, there is no completely right answer
Two types: Conventionalism and subjectivism
Problem is that ethical relativism condones some very controversial cultural practices like slavery, human sacrifices, and nazism
Also it is very rare for an entire culture of people to unanimously agree about whether something is right or wrong
How does one even define culture?
There is no one complete set of morally right answers
1.4
Conventionalism
The belief that there is no universally valid moral code and that morality is relative to culture
Morality itself is culturally defined
If two cultures disagree about morality of an action, they can both be right
When something is wrong, it is actually just wrong according to our culture
-Cultural Imperialism
What ethical relativists call ethical objectivism due to its habit of imposing moral code on other cultures
Every culture has a different set of morally right answers
1.5
Subjectivism
the belief that there is no universally valid moral code and that morality is relative