A2 Revision Notes

Here are the notes from the A2 Revision session.

Mark my Essay ...

Remember, I wrote this in 20 minutes, which is why there is no substantial part (b). Sorry! But now try and mark it using the mark scheme in the previous post, and post a comment telling me how many marks I would get for part (a), and why.

AS Mark Scheme

Use this mark scheme to mark the essay which I'll try and put up in the next couple of days.

Some more A2 photos

1. Critically assess the view that Natural Law is of no use when discussing sexual ethics.

2 Evaluate the claim that conscience is the voice of God.

3 ‘God knows the ethical decisions we will make.’ Discuss.

4 To what extent is it true to claim that people have an individual sense of moral responsibility for the environment?

AS Exam Essay Questions

If you had to choose one of the following three questions, which would you choose, why, and how would you answer?

1. a) Explain the Hypothetical and Categorical Imperatives. (33)
b) 'It's always right to do one's duty.' Discuss. (17)

2. a) Explain the main features of one absolutist theory of ethics. (33)
b) 'Moral absolutism is too rigid.' Discuss. (17)

3. a) Explain how a follower of Natural Law might respond to issues raised by genetic engineering. (33)
b) 'Genetic engineering is "playing God".' Discuss. (17)

AS Exam Essay Questions

If you had to choose one of these exam questions, which would you choose? What would you write?

1. a) Explain how moral relativism might be applied to voluntary euthanasia. (33)
b) 'Moral relativism is not the best approach to voluntary euthanasia.' Discuss. (17)

2. a) Explain the main differences between Act and Rule Uilitarianism. (33)
b) 'Rule Utilitarianism ignores consequences.' Discuss. (17)

3. a) Explain objections to abortion in the religious ethics you have studied. (33)
b) 'A foetus is a person and should be protected at all costs.' Discuss. (17)

Virtue Ethics Essays

Here is a concept map for Virtue Ethics. You can make your own one while reading through your notes. I will make photocopies of this one for you on which you can add extra notes.

Moral Relativism Essay

a) Explain what is meant by 'moral relativism'. (33)
b) Assess the strengths and weaknesses of moral relativism. (17)

a)
* "Moral relativism is the belief that morality does not relate to any absolute standards of right and wrong, but that 'good' and 'bad' are dependent on culture and circumstance." (Libby, Foundation for the Study of Religion, p. 50)
* The opposite of moral absolutism.
* Moral relativism - what is right for one person/culture/situation could be wrong for another. Everyone should be tolerant of each other.
* Today - emphasis on tolerance, multi-culturism, freedom of speech, individuality ...
* Cultural relativism - morality, religious belief, social behaviour ... ("When in Rome, do as the Romans do")
* Moral relativists - do not all share same views ... tend to believe that practical applications of right/wrong depend on circumstances.
* Some moral relativist systems - Social contract theory, Utilitarianism, Situation Ethics

b)
Strengths -
* Situation Ethics - based on what is the most loving action
* People have to take responsibility for their own moral decision-making
* Fits in with the popular individual way of thinking today
* Moral relativism has moved away from religious absolutism, which is perhaps more attractive to many people suspicious of fundamentalism today

Weaknesses -
* Nothing is condemned ... everything is allowed ... (eg is torture morally acceptable in any circumstance?)
* Is morality nothing more than what is socially acceptable?
* Taken to its logical conclusions, moral relativism is self-contradictory (eg ...)
* How do you view an intolerant view?
* Could be impractical (eg ...)
* James Rachels - all societies have some common principles (eg ... )
* Two people could look at the same situation and have good reasons for justifying different actions

Virtue Ethics Essays

a) Explain the theory of Virtue Ethics. (33)
b) 'Virtue Ethics is of little practical use to someone faced with a moral problem.' Discuss. (17)

a) Explain modern versions of Virtue Ethics. (33)
b) 'Virtue Ethics is a useful way of making moral decisions.' Discuss. (17)

We will be studying Virtue Ethics after Christmas ... but you have the notes already and here are some more questions to guide your studies!

Natural Law Essays

a) Explain the theory of Natural Law. (33)
b) 'If Natural Law theory is applied rigidly to ethical problems, obvious injustices arise.' Discuss. (17)

a) Explain what is meant by a Natural Law approach to ethics. (33)
b) 'The strict application of Natural Law goes against common sense.' Discuss. (17)

a) Explain what is meant by Natural Law. (33)
b) 'Natural Law is unjust.' Discuss. (17)

Again, write essay plans for each.

Moral Relativism Essays

a) Explain what is meant by 'moral relativism'. (33)
b) Assess the strengths and weaknesses of moral relativism. (17)

a) What is meant by Moral Relativism? (33)
b) 'The problem with relativist theories is that they don't provide any definite answers.' Discuss. (17)

a) Explain what is meant by moral relativism. (33)
b) 'Compassion is the main strength of moral relativism.' Discuss. (17)

Do you see a pattern emerging?! Make sure you can write essays that describe each of the key Ethical Theories and you should make a good start to earning your first 33 marks! Secondly, learn the strengths and weaknesses of each of the Ethical Theories so you can respond clearly to the second part.

Hope your revision is getting easier already!

Meta-Ethics Essays

a) Examine different ways in which 'good' is used in meta-ethics. (33)
b) 'Anything people approve of must be good.' Discuss. (17)

a) Explain the difference between meta-ethics and normative ethics. (33)
b) 'We all know what "good" means.' Discuss. (17)

a) Explain what is meant by meta-ethics. (33)
b) 'Words such as "right" are meaningless.' Discuss. (17)

TASK: Write essay plans for each essay question. You can refer to my last essay plan to help guide you.

Meta-Ethics Essay

a) Explain different views about what people mean when they call a moral decision "wrong". (33)

b) '"Right" and "Wrong" are just expressions of preference; they do not refer to any absolute set of values.' Discuss. (17)

Here are some key points/ideas that I would want to include in my answer:

a)
* Meta-Ethics is the study of the language of ethics ... what does it mean to say something is "right" or "wrong"?
* A Naturalist (eg Thomas Aquinas, an Ethical Naturalist) would believe that they can use their senses to verify that something is wrong .... observation would show that the results of that action caused unhappiness, so must be wrong ...
* G.E. Moore would describe that belief as the "Naturalistic Fallacy" ... he did not believe that right or wrong could be verified using senses ... instead he argued that it could be acertained using intuition (Intuitionism) ... if an Intuitionist says that something is "wrong", she means that ...
* Emotivism ... A.J. Ayer would say that to call a moral decision "wrong" simply means that you do not like that action eg abortion - boo! (C. Stevenson ... added ...)
* Prescriptivism ... Hare universalised Ayer's idea by saying that if you thought "abortion - boo!", you should also want everyone else to think "abortion - boo!", therefore if you call a moral decision wrong, you are saying that you don't like this decision and neither should anyone else.

b)
* Emotivism would certainly agree that "right" and "wrong" are simply expressions of preference ... you are simply stating whether or not you like or approve of an action or not.
* However, other positions and ethical theories would suggest that it is possible to use "right" and "wrong" in a way that refers to a set of absolute principles.
* Intuitionism suggests that there are things which are absolutely right or wrong.
* In Normative Ethics, there are relative and absolute moral codes. For example, in Natural Law (and therefore also in Naturalism), Aquinas would suggest that it is possible to observe that some actions are "right" and others "wrong".

What other ideas would you include?