This examination counts as twenty percent (20%) of your course grade.
Bring a blank "bluebook" to the examination. These will be collected and redistributed before the exam begins.
This is a closed-book, in-class examination on the scheduled date.
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.
You may use a 3"x5" card of notes of your own making.
| 1. | Naturally no help in answering the questions may be received from anyone (except yourself) during the examination. The work you hand in should be your own work. |
| 2. | Students may bring with them to the examination one (1) 3" x 5" card of notes to use during the examination. You may use any abbreviations or diagrams on the card you find helpful (as well as English, of course). You may not use any unusual aids (e.g., magnifying glass, microfiche reader) during the examination to read the card. (Your usual spectacles and contact lenses are not "unusual aids.") No other books or notes (or electronic devices) may be used during the examination. That means, for example, that you may not have your phone out while the examination is in progress. |
| 3. | What appears on the card of notes you bring to class should be your own work. Each person should be the "author" of his or her own card. One exception: you may include quotations on your card from the textbook or from anything I have handed out or put up on the board during class. |
| 4. | Anyone who uses such a card must hand it in with the examination with her or his name clearly on it. (The card does not have to be legible otherwise--just so you can read it.) The sheet will not be used to help determine a grade for the examination. (So on the examination don't say "see point 6a on the card.") I will return these cards to you when I return your graded examination. |
As always, cheating will not be tolerated. No help in answering the questions may be received from anyone (except yourself) during the examination. Apart from the 3x5 card, you may not use books or notes during the examination. Neither may other materials, such as music players or phones, be out during the exam.
| 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. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SM-RUL | Explain the difference between what Smart calls "extreme" utilitarianism and what he calls "restricted" utilitarianism. Give examples of their application. Explain the role of rules in each theory. Critically discuss. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SM-PRA | According to J.J.C. Smart, under what circumstances should we praise a person for what he or she has done? When should we blame him or her? Is it ever okay to praise a person for doing something what was wrong for that person to do, or to blame a person for doing something that was right? Explain and critically discuss. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SM-EXP | J.J.C. Smart says "It can be expedient to praise an inexpedient action and inexpedient to praise an expedient one." Explain what he means by this. Give examples. What point, about morality, is Smart making here? Explain and critically discuss. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SM-RES | Smart rejects restricted utilitarianism. Explain his reasons for rejecting it. Are these good reasons for rejecting the theory? Critically discuss. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SI-BOB |
Singer offers an example involving Bob and a Bugatti. Explain this example. What
does Singer think Bob should do? What conclusion does Singer draw about what
we should do now in the situation we are in? How does he defend his
conclusion? Explain and critically discuss.
| SI-OBJ |
Singer considers several objections to his conclusions concerning our
obligations to give of our personal resources to prevent others from suffering.
Consider one of these objections. Explain it carefully. Evaluate it; i.e.
argue either that this objection is a good one or that Singer can respond
adequately to it.
| SI-PRI |
State the principle that Singer appeals to in his argument that we should
give money to prevent children from starving. Give other examples of its
application. Should we accept the principle? If we should, how much our money
should we give away? Critically discuss.
| G-EUTH |
The question is sometimes asked: "Is an action right because God commands
it, or does God command it because it is right?" Explore various answers
to this question and problems with those answers.
| G-3PRO |
Holt argues that "if the theist ... [holds] that morally good acts are good because
they are willed by God, then he faces" three problems. Explain each of these
problems and how these follow from that position.
| K-JEWL |
Explain Kant's "jewel" analogy. What point is he trying to make?
| 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.
| 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-MUS | Suppose that it
is possible to download copyrighted music via the internet without
paying for it. Suppose that the makers of such music (the artists)
don't want their music freely copied in this way. How would Kant
address the question of whether it is morally permissible to
download such music by such artists without paying for it? Explain
in detail what a Kantian (a follower of Kant's moral theory) would
say. Would a utilitarian give a different answer? Why or why not?
Critically discuss.
| K-SL1 |
Shafer-Landau gives an example (p.164) of the homeowner who wants a perfect lawn. Explain
the example. What is Shafer-Landau trying to show in using this example. Explain and
critically discuss.
| K-SL2 |
"Kant has us imagine a man bent on killing. This man knocks at your door and
asks if you know the location of his intended victim. You do. Should you
reveal it? If you do, your information is almost certainly going to lead to
murder." Shafer-Landau (pp.165f). What does Kant think you should do? Explain how
Shafer-Landau argues, on Kantian grounds, that Kant could have given a different
answer. Critically discuss.
| K-SL3 |
Shafer-Landau argues that the emphasis on rationality and autonomy (and in particular the
"principle of humanity") emphasized by Kant "makes excellent sense of a number of deeply
held moral beliefs." (He discusses seven.) Explain at least five of these beliefs and
how Kant's theory makes sense of them.
| K-SL4 |
Shafer-Landau points out "Five Problems with the Principle of Humanity." Explain and
critically discuss two of these.
| P-D&R |
Explain the deterrence and retributive theories of punishment.
Explain how each would explain how and why a person should be punished for stealing.
Critically discuss.
| P-AAG |
Priomoratz considers several arguments against the rationale he offers for capital
punishment. Explain one of these objections and his reply. Critically discuss.
| N-LEX |
Nathanson rejects the principle of lex talionis. What is this principle?
What reasons does Nathanson give for rejecting it. Do you find these reasons
convincing? Why or why not? Critically discuss.
| N-PRO |
Nathanson writes, "The proportionality principle does ... play a legitimate role in
our thinking about punishments. Nevertheless it is of no help to death penalty
advocates ..." What is the proportionality principle? How might the principle be
useful in thinking about appropriate punishments? Why does Nathanson think it is
"of no help" in justifying capital punishment? Is he right? Critically discuss.
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