Introducing AS level Ethics - originally written for wjec board - would suit other Religious Studies boards.

1. Introduction to Ethics
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
UNDERSTANDING OF COURSE CONTENT
TO UNDERSTAND BASIC KEY TERMS
TO CONSIDER AN ETHICAL DILEMMA
STARTER
1) When is the question “Shall I wear blue or red?”
an ethical question ?
2) When is choosing a restaurant an ethical issue ?

2. The Nature of Ethics
 Face different challenges over time – period to
period
 Not always general agreement
 Where do we turn to guidance and leadership?

3. Purpose of Ethics
Answer the question :
What should I do ?
What attitude should I take ?
What kind of person should I be ?
What should we do ?
What attitude should we take ?
What kind of people should we be ?

4. Moral, Immoral or Amoral ?

5. Other Key Terms
 Test Yourself
 Ethics is
 Moral is
 Immoral is
 Amoral is

6. Hello Again !
STARTER – leave homework on desk and take a pen –
criticise another person’s definition of what ethics is.
Ethical Terms
Today we will :
• Know some key terms about ethics
• Consider what we mean by “good”
• Be able to consider what is + and –
about certain ways of ethical thinking

7. Subjective and Relative
The current prevailing opinion in this country
(the prevailing philosophy) is that morality is:
 Subjective: a matter of opinion, or a matter of taste.
Or:
 Relative: the expression of a social or cultural norm.

8. Subjective Morality
 An example: Joe thinks it’s immoral not to vote in
a general election. Jenny thinks that voting is a
joke, a waste of time, and nothing to do with
morality.
 “The prevailing philosophy” of our time is that
both are right; you can make your own decisions
about what’s right and wrong. It’s a matter of
opinion.

9. Relative morality.
 In the United Kingdom it is considered wrong to
dump rusty scrap metal, oil and asbestos on the
beaches.
 In parts of Asia, old ships are dismantled on the
beaches, leaving behind rusty scrap, oil and
asbestos.
 A relativist would say that “they have different
standards” because of their culture. It’s OK
there, but not here.

10. Absolute Morality
 Something is always right or always wrong
 There is an external set of moral principals
 Example Ten Commandments
Murder ? Stealing ? Adultery ?
(Teach Yourself page 7)

11. What is Good ?
 What is good conduct or behaviour ?
 2 principles :
a) Certain types of conduct are good in themselves
Final value or result – a completion
summum bonum
b) Certain types of conduct are good because they
conform to a particular moral standard

12. What is Good ?
 Philosophers propose 3 principal standards of
conduct :
i) Happiness or pleasure
ii) Duty – virtue or obligation
iii) Perfection – the fullest harmonious development
of human potential

13. What is Good ? - Authority
 Ideas of “Good” come from :
X) The will of a deity
obey scripture as the standard of conduct
Y) The pattern of nature
acceptable standards for human nature
Z) The rule of reason
best behaviour is the result of rational thought

14. Autonomy
 A person can choose their own actions
 How free are you ? What limits your choice ?
 Law
 Circumstances of a person’s life
 May have limited knowledge of choices
 Social tradition
 Autonomy of other people
 Personality, age, background

15. Descriptive Ethics, Prescriptive Ethics & Meta-Ethics
 Descriptive Ethics
 describes the way we live
 Presents facts or moral choices
 What is the case ?
 Prescriptive Ethics
how a person should live or behave
 What ought to be the case ?
 Meta – Ethics – analytical ethics – concerned with
language and definitions. Meaning of moral discussion.

16. Intuitionism
 There are so many ethical theories and ideas that we
need to grasp moral principals by our own intuition

17. Emotivism
 Emotivists argue that ethical words and sentences merely
express people’s attitudes and feelings which generate
feelings in other people.
 Pacifist says war is murder
 Politician says war is necessary
 Pacifist – War = boo !!
 Politician – War – hurray !!
 Moral statements just express emotion.. . . .
AGREE / DISAGREE ???

18. What do you Remember ???
 Subjective
 Relative
 Emotivism
 Virtue
 Summum bonum

19. An Exam Style Question
 Explain why some religious believers might accept
absolutism whilst other believers might not. (30)
A Christian might be an absolutist because. . .
A Christian may reject absolutism and make mainly
relativist judgments because . . .
However, a Christian may use an absolutist judgment on
certain issues and a relativist judgment on other issues.
For example…..

20. STARTER Absolutist Recap
 An absolutist says an immoral act is intrinsically
wrong, which means wrong in itself.
 The thing is not made wrong by the situation or the
result it causes. It is wrong because the act in itself
breaks a moral rule.
a) Do you think there is something we can compare
ourselves or our actions to ?
b) Think of a moral rule you keep but there are no
consequences or reward. Why bother ?

21. Learning Objectives
 To understand some of the views of :
Plato – an absolutist,
J.L Mackie – a relativist and
William Sumner - an anthropologist
 To be aware of exam answer structure and marking

22. Examination Papers and Assessment
STARTER
– there are 2 things being examined at AS RE :
A01 – knowledge and understanding
A02 – critical argument & justification of an opinion
X) What does each word mean ?
Y) Are your words the start of an A01 or Ao2 question ?
a) describe, examine, identify
b) outline, select, what, how
c) illustrate, for what reasons, compare and contrast
d) distinguish between, define, examine, explain
e) comment on, consider, how far
f) to what extent, why, assess
g) discuss, consider critically, evaluate
h) interpret, justify

23. A01 Questions – 30 marks
a) describe, examine, identify
A01 - pick out main features of…and write about
b) outline, select, what, how
A01- main features / most important
c) illustrate, for what reasons, compare and contrast
A01 – give examples /why / this is this whereas..
d) distinguish between, define, examine, explain
A01 – this is this whereas / state main ideas of/
state ideas, give examples & positive and negatives

24. A02 Questions – 15 marks
e) comment on, consider, how far
A02 –pos & negs / when does this theory work / not
f) to what extent, why, assess
A02 – when does this theory work and when does it
stop working ?
reasons / assess = for and against
g) discuss, consider critically, evaluate
A02 – for and against / advantages and weaknesses
draw to a conclusion
h) interpret, justify
A02 how would this be used in life or situations ?
justify = argue & give reasons for this working

25. Marking Guide to A01 Questions
 0 = no relevant material
 1 – 6 = almost ignores Q, disorganised,
some relevant material
• 7 – 11 = focus on general topic rather than Q
some organisation, knowledge limited
• 12– 17 = satisfactory, some knowledge,
selected some material & terms used successfully
• 18 – 23 = good attempt – technical terms
accurate knowledge, clear & organised
• 24 – 30 = excellent – selected & deployed relevant info,
engaged fully with Q, well constructed & supported

26. Essay Question
 Explain why some religious believers might accept
absolutism whilst other believers might not.
(30 marks)
A Christian might be an absolutist because. . .
A Christian may reject absolutism and make mainly
relativist judgments because . . .
However, a Christian may use an absolutist judgment on
certain issues and a relativist judgment on other issues.
For example…..