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Glossary

Attention

Attention is a mental process. It involves selectively directing our minds at something.

 

Descriptive Question

Descriptive questions are questions about what is the case. Their answers are factual or explanatory in nature. They lie in contrast to normative questions, which are questions about what should be the case.  

 
Normative Question

A Normative question is a question about what should be the case. Moral questions (e.g., how should we behave?) are normative questions.

 

Normative Ethical Theory

The study of how one should act.

 

Consequentialism

A normative ethical theory that locates the rightness or wrongness of actions in the consequences of those actions.

 

Utilitarianism

A variety of consequentialism according to which the rightness or wrongness of actions depends on how much happiness they contain. According to the classical version of utilitarianism (hedonism), happiness is a measure of net surplus of pleasure over pain.

 

Deontology

A normative ethical theory that states, in contrast to consequentialism, that actions are right or wrong independent of their consequences. Deontologist maintain that there are certain rules or duties that we are obligated to obey, regardless of the consequences of our actions.

 

Virtue Ethics

A normative ethical theory that emphasizes character rather than consequences of action (consequentialism)  or duties (deontology).

 

Commodification (of attention)

A good or service is commodified when it is treated as something that can be bought and sold. The commodification of attention refers to treating attention (a mental process) as something that is bought and sold.

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