api: YAML JSON TOON Database
version: 1.0.0
format: toon
dataset:
  id: 2789
  slug: ethics-moral-philosophy
  title: Ethics and Moral Philosophy
  description: "Normative ethical theories: utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, social contract theory, and applied ethics dilemmas (trolley problem, privacy, bioethics)."
  summary: "The major theories of moral philosophy: utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics and social contract theory, with the trolley problem as a thought experiment. Each entry gives founders, the core principle, strengths, criticisms and variants."
  use_when[2]: You need an even-handed summary of a major ethical theory with its main objections.,You are analyzing a dilemma from more than one ethical perspective.
  caveats[2]: The theories are frameworks; many philosophers combine elements or work with other approaches such as care ethics.,"The summaries describe positions, not endorsements."
  related[4]: philosophical-traditions,major-philosophers,criminal-law-terms,economic-systems
  entry_count: 5
  fields[16]{section,field,type,example}:
    theories,name,string,Utilitarianism (Consequentialism)
    theories,founders,array,"[3 items]"
    theories,core_principle,string,Maximize overall happiness/well-being; the righ…
    theories,formula,string,Choose action A that maximizes Σ(utility of all…
    theories,strengths,array,"[3 items]"
    theories,criticisms,array,"[3 items]"
    theories,variants,array,"[2 items]"
    theories,kant_formulations,array,"[2 items]"
    theories,aristotle_virtues,array,"[3 items]"
    theories,eudaimonia,string,Human flourishing; living in accordance with re…
    theories,rawls_veil_of_ignorance,string,Principles of justice chosen behind a veil of i…
    theories,rawls_principles,array,"[2 items]"
    theories,scenario,string,A runaway trolley will kill 5 people. You can p…
    theories,variations,array,"[2 items]"
    theories,ethical_analysis,object,"{utilitarian,deontological,virtue_ethics}"
    theories,significance,string,Reveals tension between consequentialist and de…
  category: Philosophy
  category_slug: philosophy
  tags: "philosophy,ethics,moral-philosophy,utilitarianism,deontology,virtue-ethics,trolley-problem,applied-ethics"
  view_count: 58
  created_at: 1778695229
  updated_at: 1778695229
data:
  theories[5]:
    - name: Utilitarianism (Consequentialism)
      founders[3]: Jeremy Bentham (founder; hedonic calculus),John Stuart Mill (higher/lower pleasures; 'better to be Socrates dissatisfied'),Peter Singer (preference utilitarianism; effective altruism)
      core_principle: Maximize overall happiness/well-being; the right action produces the greatest good for the greatest number
      formula: Choose action A that maximizes Σ(utility of all affected beings)
      strengths[3]: Intuitive appeal of maximizing well-being,Impartial (everyone counts equally),Provides clear decision procedure
      criticisms[3]: May justify harming minorities for majority benefit,Difficult to calculate consequences,Demands too much (constant sacrifice for others)
      variants[2]: Act utilitarianism (evaluate each act),Rule utilitarianism (follow rules that maximize utility)
    - name: Deontology (Duty Ethics)
      founders[2]: Immanuel Kant (categorical imperative; duty-based ethics),W.D. Ross (prima facie duties)
      core_principle: "Actions are right or wrong in themselves, regardless of consequences; morality is about following universal moral laws"
      kant_formulations[2]{formulation,description}:
        Formula of Universal Law,Act only on maxims you can will to become universal law
        Formula of Humanity,"Treat humanity (yourself and others) always as an end, never merely as a means"
      strengths[3]: Respects individual rights and dignity,Clear moral rules,Doesn't sacrifice individuals for collective good
      criticisms[3]: Rigid rules may conflict (lying to protect innocent),Ignores consequences entirely,Difficult to derive specific duties
    - name: Virtue Ethics
      founders[2]: Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics; eudaimonia; golden mean),Alasdair MacIntyre (After Virtue; traditions and practices)
      core_principle: Focus on character and virtues rather than rules or consequences; asks 'What would a virtuous person do?'
      aristotle_virtues[3]{virtue,mean_between}:
        Courage,Rashness (excess) — Courage (mean) — Cowardice (deficiency)
        Temperance,Licentiousness (excess) — Temperance (mean) — Insensibility (deficiency)
        Generosity,Wastefulness (excess) — Generosity (mean) — Stinginess (deficiency)
      eudaimonia: Human flourishing; living in accordance with reason and virtue; not mere pleasure but fulfilling one's function as a rational being
      strengths[3]: "Holistic (considers whole life, not isolated acts)",Emphasizes moral education and character development,Flexible and context-sensitive
      criticisms[3]: Virtues vary across cultures,No clear action guidance in specific cases,"Circular: virtuous person = one who does virtuous acts"
    - name: Social Contract Theory
      founders[4]: "Thomas Hobbes (Leviathan; state of nature = 'nasty, brutish, short')",John Locke (natural rights; limited government),Jean-Jacques Rousseau (general will; popular sovereignty),John Rawls (A Theory of Justice; veil of ignorance)
      core_principle: Moral and political obligations arise from implicit agreement among individuals to form society and submit to authority for mutual benefit
      rawls_veil_of_ignorance: Principles of justice chosen behind a veil of ignorance (not knowing your position in society) would be fair to all
      rawls_principles[2]: Equal basic liberties for all,Social and economic inequalities arranged to benefit the least advantaged (difference principle)
      strengths[3]: Explains legitimacy of political authority,Grounds rights in rational agreement,Rawls provides framework for distributive justice
      criticisms[3]: Historical fiction (no actual contract was made),"Excludes non-rational beings (animals, disabled)",May not generate specific policy guidance
    - name: The Trolley Problem
      scenario: "A runaway trolley will kill 5 people. You can pull a lever to divert it, killing 1 person instead. Should you pull the lever?"
      variations[2]{variant,description}:
        Fat Man,You can push a fat man off a bridge to stop the trolley. Is this different from pulling the lever? Why?
        Transplant Surgeon,A surgeon can kill 1 healthy person to harvest organs and save 5 patients. Is this the same as the trolley case?
      ethical_analysis:
        utilitarian: "Pull the lever: 1 death < 5 deaths (maximize lives saved)"
        deontological: "Don't pull: actively killing is morally different from letting die; using someone as a means is wrong"
        virtue_ethics: What would a wise and compassionate person do in this situation?
      significance: Reveals tension between consequentialist and deontological intuitions; used in AI ethics and autonomous vehicle programming