REVIEW FOR MS 407 WORLDVIEW FINAL EXAM:
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I. Your final exam will include the following components:
A. Major Definitions: Know the list of terms provided below.
1. Most are found in the glossary of pages 497-504 of Understanding the Times.
2. I will pick 35 terms from this list (33.3%). On the exam I will list the terms on one side and the definitions on the other. You will write in the correct term into the blank provided next to the definition.
B. Essay and/or Identify: Be able to explain and contrast the competing worldviews as listed on chart between table of contents and page 1 of Understanding the Times (33.3%).
C. Essay Questions from Voddie Bauchams’s Family Driven Faith (33.3%). These essay questions will be developed from the chapter headings. Therefore, be able to summarize each chapter in one-two paragraphs.
D. Bonus Questions (2 Questions will be chosen; 5 points each; partial credit is given).
1. Compare and Contrast the Major Models of Christian Ethics:
a. Unqualified Absolutism.
b. Conflict Absolutism.
c. Graded Absolutism.
2. Reconcile the Problem of Evil with the Goodness of God.
3. List the 5 categories of justification of our beliefs as explained in class.
4. Explain the differences between Intelligent Design movement and Scientific Creationism.
5. Explain in paragraph form the overall thesis of Francis A. Schaeffer’s How Should We Then Live video series.
II. Terms to Know:
A. Here are terms that you will need to know. You will see these terms in your reading and so working on this list early will only help you.
1. Agnosticism
2. Anarchy
3. Anthropic Principle (pg. 103).
4. Atheism
5. Biases*
6. Bourgeoisie
7. Capitalism
8. Collectivism
9. Communism
10. Conflict Absolutism*
11. Consequential Ethics*
12. Correspondence View of Truth
13. Cosmology (pg. 89).
14. Darwinism
15. Deconstruction
16. Deism
17. Despotism
18. Deontological Ethics*
19. Determinism
20. Dialectic
21. Dialectical Materialism
22. Dualism
23. Economic Determinism
24. Egoism*
25. Empiricism
26. Epistemology
27. Ethical Relativism
28. Evolution
29. Faith*
30. Fascism
31. Feminism
32. Finite godism*
33. Graded Absolutism*
34. Globalism
35. Hedonism
36. Idealism
37. Ideology
38. Intelligent Design
39. Law of Non-Contradiction*
40. Leftism
41. Liberalism
42. Marxism
43. Materialism
44. Metanarrative
45. Metaphysics (pg. 89)
46. Moral Law
47. Natural Law
48. Nihilism
49. Noetic Effects of Sin*
50. Ontology (pg. 89).
51. Panentheism*
52. Preunderstandings*
53. Postmodernism
54. Realism
55. Relativism
56. Religious Pluralism
57. Scientism
58. Secular Humanism
59. Social Justice
60. Statism
61. Teleology (pg. 165)
62. Theocracy
63. Unqualified Absolutism*
64. Utilitarian (Hedonistic) Ethics*
65. Utopianism
66. Virtue Ethics*
Here are terms and definitions you need to know which are not in your reading but are listed above with an *:
1. Biases. Biases are fixed presuppositions that do not change unless placed under extreme duress.
2. Preunderstandings. Preunderstandings are moldable influences that come and go depending upon contextual setting.
3. Deontological Ethics. This major model of ethics states that acts are right or wrong in and of themselves because of the kinds of acts they are and not simply because of their ends or consequences (the ends never justify the means). There are various models of deontological ethics.
4. Egosim. We should always act to maximize our own individual interests.
5. Noetic Effect of Sin. Noetic effects of sin are the effects of sin upon the mind.
6. Consequential Ethics. This major ethical division states that we choose the actions that bring about the best outcome (hence, consequential). Utilitarianism is a type of consequential ethics.
7. Virtue Ethics. This major ethical theory emphasizes the development of character as its central theme rather than trying to define 'goodness' or 'rightness'. It is a “eudaimonistic” theory as it holds ‘human flourishing’ is to be our highest goal.
8. Faith. The reliance upon that which you have reason to believe is true and trustworthy.
9. Panentheism. God is in the universe (e.g., as a mind is in a body).
10. Finite godism. A finite god exists beyond and in the universe.
11. Law of Non-Contradiction. This first undeniable principle of logic affirms that opposites cannot both be true. As Aristotle observed, “Nothing can be and not be at the same time in the same respect.”
12. Graded Absolutism. This ethical view, rooted in the Reformed tradition, advocates the idea that when two or more universal ethical norms come into unavoidable conflict, the Christian’s non-culpable duty is to follow the higher one. This position maintains that one is personally guiltless if he or she does the greatest good and chooses the lesser evil in a hard case situation.
13. Conflict Absolutism. This ethical view, rooted in the Lutheran tradition, affirms that moral conflicts are inevitable because we live in a fallen world. When two duties conflict, we are responsible to both duties. God’s law can never be broken without guilt. Therefore, in such cases, we must simply do the lesser evil and confess our sin (1 John 1:9).
14. Unqualified Absolutism. This ethical view, rooted in the Anabaptist tradition affirms that all moral conflicts are only apparent; they are not real.
15. Utilitarianism. A form of consequential ethics, we should act to maximize the happiness of all affected by the action (there are multiple types of utilitarian models of ethics). In essence, utilitarianism is the idea that an act that produces more good than harm has greater value than act that produces more harm than good.
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