PHIL110B Study Guide - Peanut Butter, Rule Utilitarianism, Meddle

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL110B
• Professor: Patricia Marino

Document Summary

We are considering ethics in its normative, not descriptive sense: what is right and wrong? (not what people think is right and wrong) Distinct from the law: cheating on your partner is immoral, but not illegal: another ex. death sentence in some states: legal, but immoral to some. Distinct from religion: reasons should be intersubjective (apply whether or not one is of a particular religion/not based on faith); more based on rationality. You are a doctor with limited amounts of medicine. Give to a: a gains 10 units well-being; b loses 5. Give to b: b gains 5 units of well-being; a loses 10. Give to a; more good is done giving medicine to a: 5 overall improvement if medicine is given to a (10 utils 5 utils = 5 utils) 5 overall improvement if medicine is given to b (5 utils 10 utils = -5 utils)