Possible Exam Questions for the first Ethical Inquiry Exam -- on June 22
Note:
I will choose several questions from this list to be answered quite briefly and
one or two questions to be answered at greater length. You will be able to consult your textbooks
but not any notes or handouts or other papers.
1.
Clearly there can be important differences between
the ethical beliefs that prevail in one culture and those that prevail in some
other cultures. What might one say if
one wanted to acknowledge this fact without accepting the doctrine of
cultural relativism?
2.
Why does James
Rachels think that subjectivism is unacceptable as a theory of ethics? Is he
right?
3.
What is the
best argument against ethical egoism, according to James Rachels? Do you think it’s a good argument?
4. Explain and assess Peter
Singer’s argument for the claim that people in affluent countries like the
5.
Why does Garret Hardin think it would be a bad idea to try to feed the world’s
hungry people? What do you think of his
case?
6.
How does J. S.
Mill try to justify his view that some pleasures are qualitatively better than
others? What do you think of this view?
7. How does Mill answer the
objection that utilitarianism is impractical, because we don’t have time to
calculate the effect of our actions on the general happiness? Does his answer succeed?
8.
What is the
difference between act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism?
9. What do you think is the most important criticism
that can be made of utilitarianism? Do
you think there is any way to save the theory, or does this criticism show that
it is no good? (Explain.)
10. According to Rachels (in
his article in Applied Ethics), active euthanasia (killing) is no worse
(and in some cases better) than passive euthanasia (letting people die by
withholding lifesaving treatment). How
does he try to prove this point and how good is his argument?
11. What reasons might a
utilitarian have for opposing the legalization of euthanasia?
12. What is the difference between a ‘hypothetical imperative’ and a ‘categorical imperative’, as Kant uses these terms?
13. According to
Kant there is only one Categorical Imperative (though it can be formulated in
several different ways). In plain
English, explain the meaning of the so-called “universal law formulation” of
the Categorical Imperative.
14. How can the Categorical Imperative be used as a test
for whether an action is morally right?
(What steps should one go through to apply this test?) Do you think this is a good way to determine
if an action is right or wrong?
15. How does a Kantian
approach to the question of whether or not we ought to feed the hungry differ
from a utilitarian approach?
The
following questions are on new material and will be judged accordingly:
16. Briefly, what is the
retributive theory of punishment? What
do you think about this theory?
17. How does a utilitarian
approach to the problem of capital punishment differ from a Kantian approach?
Which do you think is better?
18. Why does Primoratz think that death is the only morally appropriate
penalty for murder?
In
addition, one exam question will describe a hypothetical case and ask you to
work out what an act-utilitarian would think should be done and what a Kantian
would think should be done.