Possible Final Exam Questions for General Philosophy

Note: the format for the exam will be the same as for the mid-term. The exam will be held at 2:45 on Tuesday, December 17 in our regular classroom.

1 What criterion does Ayer propose to use to distinguish genuine statements of fact from tautologies and ‘pseudo-propositions’? Do you think this criterion is a good one?

2 Why does Ayer think we should use the weak (not the strong) sense of his criterion of significance?

3 Why does Ayer think that metaphysics is nonsense?

4 What is the difference between an a priori proposition and an a posteriori proposition?

5 Why does Ayer think that metaphysical propositions cannot be a priori truths?

6 Why does Ayer think that no empirical proposition can be absolutely certain?

7 What is Ayer’s account of the nature of ethical statements?

8 Why is Wittgenstein unhappy with Moore’s ‘proof of the external world’? (How is the philosopher’s use of the phrase “I know . . .” different from an ordinary person’s?)

9 Wittgenstein says (#450), “ A doubt that doubted everything would not be a doubt.” Why not?

10 Wittgenstein says (#341), “some propositions are exempt from doubt.” Does this mean that we know them for certain? That we could never turn out to be wrong about them?

11 Tawney says that the kind of equality of opportunity that is present in a capitalist society is insufficient. Explain and discuss critically at least one of his reasons for thinking so.

12 Hayek says that the only kind of equality that is compatible with liberty is ‘equality before the law.’ He specifically rejects equality of opportunity, saying it would undermine liberty. How so? What do you think?

13 Why does Rawls think that we should imagine that people are choosing principles of justice behind a ‘veil of ignorance’?

14 How does Nozick use his Wilt Chamberlain example to argue for his entitlement theory of justice? What do you think of his view?

15 Will Kymlicka argues that equality demands that we grant minority groups some ‘group-specific rights’ whenever these are necessary to ensure “that all national groups have the opportunity to maintain themselves as a distinct culture if they so choose” (p.240). Explain.

Note: you should also be prepared to say what you think about these ideas.