Examination II
This is a brief overview of our first examination which includes some example questions. I will provide any paper you need. You are allowed to bring one hand-written two-sided 4-inch by 6-inch note-card to help you keep all the material we have covered straight. Please don't hesitate to email or text should you have any questions.
Examination II Outline
A. Natural Law Theory
5 MC Questions
10 T/F Questions
1 Essay Question
Example 1: In the space provided on this and the following page, i) set out in standard, numbered, Modus Tollens form a Reflective Equilibrium argument against Natural Law Theory, ii) explain why Natural Law Theory has the implication as you indicated it does in the first premise, and iii) justify with further argument the intuition behind the second premise rejecting that implication.
Example 2: In the space provided on this and the following page, explain Aristotle's Doctrine of the Four Causes using an appropriate example of each cause, and explain the distinction between a Mechanistic Explanation and a Teleological Explanation, again using a well-crafted example to illustrate the distinction.
B. Utilitarianism
5 MC Questions
1 Essay
Example 1: In the space provided on this and the following page, i) set out in standard, numbered, Modus Tollens form the Rights Argument against Act-Utilitarianism, ii) explain why Act-Utilitarianism has the implication as you indicated it does in the first premise regardless of how utility is measured, and iii) justify with further argument the intuition behind the second premise rejecting that implication.
Example 2: In the space provided on this and the following page, use examples to explain the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic or instrumental goods. Confronted with Reflective Equilibrium arguments which appear to show that happiness is not the sole intrinsic good, explain what you consider to be the utilitarian's most reasonable response of those we gave in class.
C. Deontology (Kantian Ethical Theory)
10 MC Questions
1 Essay
Example 1: Suppose you are discussing Kantian Ethical Theory with a friend who has never had an ethics class. In the space provided on this and the following page, explain as clearly as you can what it means to treat someone as an end and not as a means only as it is understood in terms of respect for autonomy. Be sure to use a well-crafted example to help illustrate your explanation.
Example 2: In the space provided on this and the following page, construct a Kantian Deduction to show that it follows from the First Formulation of the Categorical Imperative that the categorical ought "I ought not murder" is a moral duty.
D. Social Contract Theory
5 T/F Questions
5 MC Questions
E. Cases
5 MC Questions
5 T/F Questions