Final answer:
The term 'temporal immediacy' describes the time between an act and its consequences in the discussion of ethical intensity. This concept is important in ethical frameworks like consequentialism and deontology, where the former focuses on the outcomes to determine rightness of actions, and the latter on the actions themselves and actors' intentions.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of ethical intensity of decisions, the term you're looking for describes the temporal immediacy of an action's consequences, which refers to the time between an act and the consequences the act produces.
Decisions with high ethical intensity often have consequences that follow quickly after the act, whereas those with lower ethical intensity might have a lag between the act and resulting consequences.
Ethical theories such as consequentialism and deontology assess the ethical intensity and weigh the morality of decisions differently.
Consequentialists, like utilitarians, would consider an action right when it produces the greatest good for the greatest number, and typically focus on outcomes rather than temporal immediacy. However, it's essential to consider that actions may have unintended consequences that can also judge moral responsibility.