| Introduction to Ethics | Richard Lee |
| Philosophy 2103 sec. 11 | Summer 2007 |
This examination counts as twenty percent (20%) of your course grade.
You may use a 3"x5" card of notes of your own making.
You will be asked to write two (2) essays (worth ten (10) points each). You will have a choice of at least four (4) essay questions. By "essay" I mean a discussion (in complete sentences) that will probably take more than a paragraph or two, but should take no more than a few pages.
As always, cheating will not be tolerated. No help in answering the questions may be received from anyone (except yourself) during the examination.
| PE-FA | Early in Plato's dialogue Euthyphro Euthyphro argues that he ought to prosecute his father. Critically discuss the considerations he adduces in support of his position. |
| PE-OB | Explain and evaluate the objections that Euthyphro's family raises to his intention to prosecute his father. |
| N-DNM | Explain the difference between descriptive morality (or ethics) and normative morality (or ethics). Give examples of questions that are questions of descriptive morality. Give examples of questions that are questions of normative morality. What is metaethics? Give examples of questions that are questions of metaethics. |
| N-SPEC | Explain what Lee calls the "Two-tiered Spectrum of Moral Evaluation of Actions." Give examples of actions that fit in the various categories. |
| N-3 | State and explain three different general normative ethical theories. Consider two actions and explain how each of these theories would determine the rightness or wrongness of the action. |
| B-FAC | Explain all the factors Jeremy Bentham sets down for measuring the value of a pleasure or pain. Give examples of pleasures and pains which have and lack these features. |
| B-METH | Bentham details how to determine the "general tendency of an act, by which the interests of a community are affected." Explain this method and apply it to an example. That is, explain how one could apply Bentham's method to determine whether to tell a lie, for instance. |
| M-LIFE | John Stuart Mill distinguishes a utilitarian "theory of life" from a "theory of morality." Explain what each of these is and how they are related. |
| M-SWI | How does Mill respond to the objection that his utilitarian doctrine is "a doctrine worthy only of swine ...?" Critically discuss. |
| M-QUAL | Mill claims that pleasures differ in quality as well as in quantity. What does Mill mean by this and what support does he offer for the claim? Critically discuss. |
| M-HIGH | J. S. Mill claims that some pleasures have "higher value" than other pleasures. Explain his argument for this claim. Critically discuss. |
| M-PIG | John Stuart Mill claimed that "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied, better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." Critically discuss his argument for this claim. |
| M-LOW | Some people who have experienced the "higher" or mental pleasures still at times choose sensual pleasures instead. How does Mill account for this? Critically discuss. |
| M-WOR | How does Mill think we are to decide which pleasures are more worth having? Is this method reasonable? Critically discuss. |
| NI-CON | Nielsen argues against a view he calls "moral conservatism." Explain this view. What does the "conservative" hold, accoding to Nielsen? How does he (attempt to) show the conservative to be mistaken? Is his argument a good one? Critically discuss. |
| NI-FAT | What is the "Case of the Innocent Fat Man" as explained by Nielsen? What, according to Nielsen, should be done in such a case? Why? |
| NI-APR | It is sometimes said that moral theory is a priori? What does this mean? Does it follow that the truth of moral principles and judgments is independent of how the world is? Explain. |
| W1-NR | What does Bernard Williams mean by "negative responsibility?" Is the doctrine of negative responsibility correct? Critically discuss. |
| W1-EX | Explain the details either of Bernard Williams' "George's job prospect" example or of his "Jim and the Indians" example in his critique of utilitarianism. What kind of consideration, according to Williams, does a utilitarian analysis of Williams' "George" and "Jim" examples leave out which ought not be left out? How can utilitarianism best be defended against Williams' critique? Critically discuss. |
| W1-JI | Explain the details of Bernard Williams' "Jim and the Indians" example. What should Jim do in these circumstances? Why? Explore answers that might be given by various ethical theories or principles. |
| F-DEF | What is Fried's definition of lying? Give examples of lies, according to this definition. Explain some things that are similar to lying but don't fit Fried's definition. Explain how they differ. |
| F-BAD | How does Fried distinguish "bad" actions from "wrong" actions? Explain. Critically discuss. |
| F-WRO | Fried thinks lying is wrong (and not just bad). Explain his reasons for this. Are they good reasons? Critically discuss. |
| P-DIV | Explain what Pojman calls the "diversity thesis," and what he calls the "dependency thesis" and how these together yield the conclusion that "there are no universally valid moral principles." Critically discuss. |
| P-CONV | What does Pojman mean by "conventionalism?" What does he mean by "subjectivism?" What is the difference between these views? |
| P-TOL | Pojman argues that there is a contradiction in the view that ethical relativism entails intercultural tolerance. Explain and evaluate his argument. |
| P-REF | Explain Pojman's argument that ethical relativism "seems to entail that reformers are always (morally) wrong." Critically discuss. |
| K-JEWL | Explain Kant's "jewel" analogy. What point is he trying to make? |
| K-2FOR | Specify two significantly different formulations Kant offers of the categorical imperative. Explore an application of each; that is argue that some action is right or is wrong based on a formulation of the categorical imperative. (You may consider the same action for each formulation, or different actions.) Critically discuss. |
| K-HYP | Explain the difference, according to Kant, between a hypothetical imperative and a categorical imperative. Into what two categories does Kant distinguish hypothetical imperatives? Give some examples of each and explain why they are the kind they are. |
| K-EG | Specify one of Kant's formulations of his categorical imperative. Consider a couple of examples of actions. Explain why these actions are morally right or morally wrong based on that formulation of the categorical imperative. |
| K-ACC | Explain the distinction Immanuel Kant draws between acting from duty and acting merely in accordance with duty. Give examples of each. What does Kant claim to be the relevance of this distinction? (I.e., what difference does it make whether we act from duty or merely in accordance with duty?) Is Kant right about all this? Critically discuss. |