| actual duty | A duty that should be performed in a particular situation.
|
 |
|
|
| act-utilitarianism | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that it maximizes happiness, everyone considered. Also termed "traditional utilitarianism."
|
|
|
|
| categorical imperative I | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that everyone could act on it, and you would be willing to have everyone act on it.
|
|
|
|
| categorical imperative II | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that it treats people as ends in themselves and not merely as means to an end.
|
|
|
|
| consequentialist (teleological) ethical theory | An ethical theory that judges the rightness or wrongness of an action in terms of its consequences.
|
|
|
|
| contractarianism | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that it is in accord with the principles established by an ideal social contract.
|
|
|
|
| cultural relativism | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that it is approved by one's culture.
|
|
|
|
| divine command theory | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that God commands it to be done.
|
|
|
|
| emotivism | The doctrine that moral utterances are expressions of emotion.
|
|
|
|
| ethical egoism | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that it promotes one's own best interest.
|
|
|
|
| formalist (deontological) ethical theory | An ethical theory that judges the rightness or wrongness of an action in terms of its form.
|
|
|
|
| imperfect duty | A duty that does not always have to be performed.
|
|
|
|
| instrumental (extrinsic) value | Value for the sake of something else.
|
|
|
|
| intrinsic value | Value for its own sake.
|
|
|
|
| negative right | People have a negative right to something if and only if others have a duty not to interfere with their pursuit of that thing.
|
|
|
|
| perfect duty | A duty that must always be performed no matter what.
|
|
|
|
| pluralistic formalism | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that it falls under the highest-ranked duty in a given situation.
|
|
|
|
| positive right | People have a positive right to something if and only if others have a duty to provide them with what they need to acquire that thing.
|
|
|
|
| prima facie duty | A duty that should be performed unless it conflicts with other prima facie duties.
|
|
|
|
| principle of justice | The doctrine that equals should be treated equally (and unequals in proportion to their relevant differences).
|
|
|
|
| principle of mercy | The doctrine that unnecessary suffering is wrong.
|
|
|
|
| psychological hedonism | The doctrine that the only thing individuals can desire is their own happiness.
|
|
|
|
| reversibility | A principle has reversibility if the person acting on it would be willing to have everyone act on it.
|
|
|
|
| rule-utilitarianism | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that it falls under a rule that, if generally followed, would maximize happiness, everyone considered.
|
|
|
|
| supererogatory action | An action that goes above and beyond the call of duty.
|
|
|
|
| subjective absolutism | The doctrine that what makes an action right is that one approves of it.
|
|
|
|
| subjective relativism | The doctrine that what makes an action right for someone is that it is approved by that person.
|
|
|
|
| universalizability | A principle has universalizability if everyone can act on it.
|
|
|
|
| virtue | An admirable human quality marked by a disposition to behave in certain ways in certain circumstances.
|
|
|
|
| virtue ethics | A system of ethics based on the concept of a good person rather than that of a right action.
|