Ethics RC Terms for CAT VARC
Master 25 essential ethics terms that unlock moral philosophy passages in CAT Reading Comprehension. From deontological ethics to bioethics, build the vocabulary foundation to decode complex ethical debates, applied ethics dilemmas, and normative theories with confidence.
Why Ethics Terms Matter for CAT Reading Comprehension
Ethics RC passages are among the most intellectually demanding in CAT VARC—and also the most rewarding when you have the right vocabulary. These passages test your ability to distinguish between competing moral frameworks, identify unstated assumptions in ethical arguments, and navigate complex applied ethics scenarios.
When you encounter terms like deontological ethics, utilitarianism, or virtue ethics, you’re not just seeing vocabulary—you’re accessing entire systems of moral reasoning that have shaped human civilization. Each ethics term represents a different lens for evaluating right and wrong, justice and fairness, duty and consequence.
Research from CAT toppers shows that candidates who master ethics vocabulary achieve 20-28% higher accuracy on moral philosophy passages. Why? Ethics terms provide instant structural understanding. Instead of puzzling over abstract arguments, you immediately recognize the ethical framework and can anticipate the author’s reasoning pattern, counterarguments, and conclusions.
What happens when you know these terms:
- Decode ethical frameworks instantly – distinguish consequentialism from deontology in seconds
- Identify normative vs. applied ethics – understand when passages shift from theory to practice
- Recognize moral dilemmas – spot conflicting principles and anticipate resolution strategies
- Answer inference questions confidently – predict what ethical positions would support or oppose
- Handle tone questions systematically – distinguish prescriptive from descriptive ethical writing
- Navigate bioethics and AI ethics – understand contemporary applied ethics debates
This page contains 25 carefully curated ethics flashcards covering normative theories, applied ethics, and moral concepts that appear repeatedly in CAT VARC passages. Each term includes definition, difficulty rating, and flip-card functionality for active learning. Want to test your mastery across all Arts & Values subjects?
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🎴 25 Ethics Flashcards for CAT VARC
Click any card to flip and reveal detailed context. Mark as mastered to track your progress. Each term includes a memory hook to aid retention and RC context showing how the term appears in passages.
💡 Study Strategy for Ethics Terms
Ethics is part of the broader Arts & Values cluster. Explore related subjects like Philosophy, Law, and History to build comprehensive RC vocabulary across interconnected disciplines.
Pro tip: Don’t try to memorize all 25 terms in one sitting. Research in cognitive science shows that spaced repetition—reviewing material at increasing intervals—leads to better long-term retention than cramming. Mark terms as “mastered” as you learn them, then review non-mastered terms daily.
🎯 Quick Mastery Quiz
Test your understanding of ethics concepts. Get instant feedback with detailed explanations.
How to Master Ethics Terms for RC
🧠 The Spaced Repetition Method
Ethics terms stick when you encounter them repeatedly over time. Here’s the proven approach for moral philosophy vocabulary:
- Day 1: Study the flashcards, flip each one, read the memory hooks and RC context
- Day 2: Review and mark terms you remember as “mastered” (aim for 8-10 terms)
- Day 4: Quick review of all terms, focus on unmarked ones, practice distinguishing similar concepts
- Day 7: Final review before attempting the quiz, focus on normative vs. applied ethics distinction
This spacing leverages your brain’s natural consolidation process, moving terms from short-term to long-term memory. Ethics vocabulary requires this approach because many terms represent nuanced distinctions.
📖 Context Over Definition
In RC passages, you’ll rarely see explicit ethics definitions. Instead, you’ll encounter moral frameworks used in arguments. Train yourself to:
- Read the “RC Context” section of each flashcard carefully – this shows how normative theories appear in actual passages
- Notice framework indicators: “consequences,” “duty,” “character,” “rights,” “care”
- Identify the ethical debate: Most passages present competing moral frameworks or applied ethics dilemmas
- Practice inference: Even if you forget exact definitions, contextual clues reveal whether an argument is consequentialist, deontological, or virtue-based
🎯 The “Ethical Framework” Strategy
Ethics passages typically present moral arguments and counter-arguments. Master this pattern recognition:
- Framework Introduction: The author/philosopher introduces a moral theory (e.g., utilitarianism)
- Opposition/Critique: A contrasting view is presented (e.g., rights-based ethics challenges utilitarian sacrifice)
- Applied Context: Theory applied to real-world dilemma (bioethics, AI ethics, environmental ethics)
- RC Questions focus on: Understanding framework distinctions, not memorizing isolated definitions
When you know terms like “deontological,” “consequentialism,” and “virtue ethics,” you can quickly map the passage’s moral structure and anticipate questions about what each framework would support or oppose.
⚡ Common RC Passage Patterns in Ethics
CAT RC ethics passages follow predictable patterns. Knowing these terms helps you identify the pattern instantly:
- “What makes actions right?” passages → Expect normative terms: deontological ethics, utilitarianism, consequentialism, virtue ethics
- “Real-world moral dilemmas” passages → Expect applied ethics: bioethics, AI ethics, environmental ethics, professional ethics
- “Are morals universal?” passages → Expect relativism, absolutism, moral realism, moral subjectivism
- “Rights vs. outcomes” passages → Expect rights-based ethics, consequentialism, double effect principle, moral dilemma
- “Character matters” passages → Expect virtue ethics, integrity, ethics of care, altruism
Pro tip: When you spot 2-3 ethics terms in the first paragraph, you know it’s a moral philosophy passage. Immediately activate framework recognition mode—identify which ethical theories are being compared or applied, and read actively to anticipate the author’s argumentative moves.
