Metaethics

What is the source of ethics? How do we know what is ethical?

Religious Answers: Religious Answers:
The Divine Will Revelation
The Divine Law Scriptures
Secular Answers: Church Tradition
Universal Sources: Experience
Natural Law (e.g., the Stoics)
Hypothetical Contract Secular Answers:
Relativist Answers: Reason
One’s Culture Experience and Observation
One’s Personal Preferences Intuition
Actual Social Contract Social Agreement or Contract

Normative Ethics

Intrinsic Principles of Right Action Virtues

Values
Truth Consequence- Duty-based Professional Secular Religious
Moral Maximizing Principles Virtues Virtues Virtues
goodness
Principles
Beauty
Happiness Hippocratic: General: Jewish:
Purity Benevolence Gemilut
Health Hasadim
Holiness Care
(loving
Subjective Percival: Greek: kindness)
1. Beneficence Tenderness Wisdom
Respect for Tzedek
2. Nonmaleficence Steadiness Temperance (loyalty
Individual

Persons: Condescension Courage or

Hippocratic Autonomy Authority Justice obedience)
Utility Fidelity
Veracity WMA (1948): Japanese: Christian:
Objective Avoid Killing Conscience Faith
1. Beneficence Kindness
Dignity Hope
2. Nonmaleficence Devotion
Love (Agape)
AMA (1957): Homeric: Muslim:
Respect for dig- Skill Contentedness
nity of man Cunning
Devotion Gratitude
Courage Generosity
Self-reliance Magnanimity
Subjective AMA (1980): Loyalty
1. Beneficence Compassion Hindu:
Love of
2. Nonmaleficence Respect for Care
human friends
Hatred of Attention
Social

dignity
Social enemies Humility
Justice Courtesy Constant
Utility Florence
Generosity reflection
Objective Nightingale Hospitality
1. Beneficence Pledge: Confucian:
2. Nonmaleficence Humaneness
Purity
Compassion
Faithfulness
Filial piety

Rules and Rights (Codes of Ethics)

(How Rigidly Do Rules Apply?)
Antinomianism Rules of Thumb (Guidelines, Situationism) Rules of Practice Legalism
No Rules Apply Rules Apply Rigidly

Cases (Casuistry)