Exam sA

Question 1

Define philosophy

Answer 1

“Philo” = Love
“Sophia” = wisdom
Translates to the love of wisdom (Greek)

Question 2

What are the 5 branches of philosophy

Answer 2

1. Metaphysics (what is reality)
2. Epistemology (What is knowledge)
3. Ethics (What is the right thing to do)
4. Aesthetics (what is beauty)
5. Logic (What is reasoning)

Question 3

List Moral agency

Answer 3

-Listen to reason
-Consider options impartially
-Be willing and able to change your mind

Question 4

What is the focus of virtue ethics

Answer 4

To live a life that strives towards eudaimonia

Question 5

Define virtues

Answer 5

Personality traits that are purposive and settled in determining the right way to act or behave

Question 6

Define virtue ethics

Answer 6

Key ethical framework that emphasizes the development of virtues as the key to living a good life (Aristotle)

Question 7

What is a humans teleos

Answer 7

According to Aristotle our function is rational activity and all human functions contribute towards eudaimonia

Question 8

What is the golden mean

Answer 8

A tool used to gauge where virtues lie btwn vices of deficiency and vices of excess

Question 9

What are vices

Answer 9

Personality/character traits that are deemed bad for a person to have

Question 10

Disadv of Virtue ethics

Answer 10

-Does not tell us exactly what to do
-Neglects the question of prescribing what we should do

Question 11

Adv if virtue ethics

Answer 11

-Gives moral motivation
-Leaves room for actions dependent on the nuances of he situation

Question 12

Define Act utilitarianism

Answer 12

-Solely considers the course of action that will result in the most happiness for the gr8est # of ppl
-Based on maximizing immediate pleasure
-Based on hedonistic calculus
-Disregards individual liberty
-Associated w/ Jeremy Bentham

Question 13

Define Rule utilitarianism

Answer 13

-Employs a rule that is most likely to result in the gr8est good for the gr8est # of ppl
-Adheres to established rules that will maximize happiness in the long run
-Takes into acc individual liberty
-Associated w/ John Stuart Mill

Question 14

Provide adv and disadv of act util

Answer 14

Adv
-Maximizes utility
-Provides basis for social and economic policy
Disadv
-Permits social injustice
-Does not take into consideration individuals’ rights

Question 15

Explain the gr8est happiness principle/pleasure principle

Answer 15

Refers to choosing the act that will result in the gr8est amount of happiness for the gr8est amount of ppl

Question 16

Define consequentialism

Answer 16

Whether an action is morally right depends on its consequences

Question 17

What is the highest/ultimate/gr8est good for Ubuntu ethics

Answer 17

Social harmony and finding ways to maximize it

Question 18

Define dialogue

Answer 18

2-way communication where ppl involved do not have to hold the same views on a particular topic but must have different opinions of topics of mutual concern

Question 19

Why is ubuntu ethics sometimes referred to as dialogical ethics

Answer 19

Because it involved communication between human beings, spiritual being and God (Tripartite aspects of ubuntu) and it aims towards a common oral position

Question 20

What is the role of community in ubuntu

Answer 20

Is to ,thru the elders, fundamentally define our common moral position and provide ethical principles of what is right and wrong

Question 21

In ubuntu, individual moral acts are only important if they conform to what?

Answer 21

To expectations of the community

Question 22

Define elders

Answer 22

Custodians of moral, epistemological and ontological knowledge

Question 23

In ubuntu the common moral position is a product of who’s moral wisdom?

Answer 23

Of elders

Question 24

What are problems with ubuntu

Answer 24

Groupthink
Mob justice
Tyranny of majority

Question 25

Who is the theorist associated w/ deontology

Answer 25

Immanual Kant

Question 26

What 2 things in deontological ethics evaluate the rightness of actions

Answer 26

The motive and duty of the action

Question 27

According to Kant, an action is only truly moral if it is morally motivated from what?

Answer 27

Duty

Question 28

Name three (3) principles/versions/formulations of Categorical Imperative.

Answer 28

1. Universilizability princple 2. Humanity principle 3. Kingdom of Ends

Question 29

Explain the Universilizability principle

Answer 29

Basically means if you do an action then everyone should be able to do it as well

Question 30

Explain the humanity principle

Answer 30

Means to treat humanity never simply as a means but always @ the same time as an end

Question 31

Explain the Kingdom of Ends principle

Answer 31

Act as tho, thru your maxims, a law making member of a kingdom of ends

Question 32

What does Kant morality think are duties are

Answer 32

Hypothetical imperatives Categorical imperatives

Question 33

Explain Hypothetical imperatives

Answer 33

-They are conditioned upon another end -EG: "Don't steal if u want to stay out of jail"

Question 34

Explain Categorical imperatives

Answer 34

-Unconditional and absolute -Its a persons unconditional right to act from duty -EG: "Don't steal"

Question 35

What is the central tenant of Kant's philosophy?

Answer 35

That an action is only truly moral if it is morally motivated from duty

Question 36

The highest good i deontology is?

Answer 36

Good will -To act from good will is to act from duty

Question 37

Define extreme poverty

Answer 37

-Shortage of food -Can't save money -Living in unstable house

Question 38

Define absolute affluence

Answer 38

-Having more income to spend on luxuries -Being able to buy new clothes -Taking exotic holidays

Question 39

Name the five moral differences between killing and allowing to die

Answer 39

1. Motivation will be different 2. Its not difficult for most of us to act in accordance w/ a rule against killing ppl 3. The greater certainty of outcome of shooting compared to not giving aid 4. When ppl are shot there is an identifiable person who has been harmed but its not the case w/ poverty 5. Might be said that the plight of the hungry is not my doing so i cannot be held responsible

Question 40

What are way to reduce poverty?

Answer 40

**Individual** -Donations -Charity **Gov't** -Foreign aid -Overseas aid

Question 41

Define the argument for the obligation to assist

Answer 41

Plausible principle: If its in our power to prevent something bad from happening, w/o sacrificing anything of comparable moral significance, we should.

Question 42

Provide objections to the ‘obligation to assist’ argument.

Answer 42

-Taking care of our own -Property rights -Population and the ethics of triage -Leaving it to the gov't -Too high a standard and too demanding

Question 43

What are sources of common moral position?

Answer 43

Proverbs and experience