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All 8 Flashcards — Deontological ethics
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Question
Deontology?
Answer
The view that some acts are right or wrong in themselves, as a matter of duty — regardless of results.
Question
The core deontological move?
Answer
Judge the ACT, not the outcome: keep your duty even when the results would be better if you broke it.
Question
Kant's categorical imperative?
Answer
Act only on a rule you could will everyone to follow — a command that holds whatever you happen to want.
Question
How does lying fail Kant's test?
Answer
If everyone lied when it helped, promises would mean nothing and collapse — so you can't will that rule for all.
Question
'Categorical' vs 'hypothetical' imperative?
Answer
Categorical holds whatever you want ('don't lie'); hypothetical only if you want something ('if you want trust, don't lie').
Question
Divine command theory?
Answer
An act is right because God commands it, wrong because God forbids it — duty grounded in God, not reason.
Question
The Euthyphro dilemma (Go further)?
Answer
Does God command things because they're good, or are they good because God commands them? Neither answer is comfortable.
Question
Kant vs divine command?
Answer
Both are duty-based; Kant grounds duty in reason, divine command grounds it in God's will.
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Full study notes for Deontological ethics
Topic 4.1 hub
Normative ethics
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