HU2702: Study Questions for Second Exam
I. Define/Explain/Describe/Identify:
“always as an end”
appetites
appetitive function of
the soul
Aquinas, Saint Thomas
Aristotle
“as a means only”
Augustine, Saint
caring
categorical imperative
Categorical Imperative
corrective justice
deficiency
distributive justice
Doctrine of Double
Effect
egalitarianism
equalitarianism
excess
faith
feminist moral theory
Formal Principle of
Justice
good will
happiness
hope
human nature
hypothethical imperative
imperative
imperfect procedural
justice
intellectual virtues
justice
love
master morality
maxim
mean
mechanical conception
of distributive justice
moral experience
moral virtue
morally good action
natural law
Nietzsche, Friedrich
nonmoral virtues
perfect procedural
justice
Plato
practical wisdom
pride
Principle of
Universalizability
procedural
(commutative) justice
pure procedural justice
rationality
reason
selective conception of
distributive justice
self-realization
slave morality
soul
“spirited part” of the
soul
Stoics
temperance
theoretical wisdom
transvaluation of values
universal law
universalizable
universally lawgiving
vegetative function of
the soul
virtue
virtue ethics
will to power
wisdom
II. Discussion:
- In natural law ethics, what is the meaning of “natural law”? What is the main difference between natural laws that apply to human beings and natural laws that apply to nonhuman beings—e.g., animals? According to Thomas Aquinas, how do we know whether something is a natural law? Is it possible for natural laws to conflict with each other? Explain. In your view, is natural law ethical theory satisfactory? Why or why not?
- What exactly is the Doctrine (Principle) of Double Effect? State its four components. What sorts of situations is the Doctrine intended to apply to? Illustrate its application with an example. Does the Doctrine always lead to the correct conclusion, in your view? Why or why not?
- What sort of theory of moral obligation is Kant’s theory—axiological, deontological, consequentialist, nonconsequentialist? Explain. According to Kant, what is the relationship between morality and rationality? Why, according to Kant, does morality apply to human beings but not to God?
- What is Kant’s Categorical Imperative? What are his three formulations of it? Explain the meaning of each formulation, and illustrate how it is intended to be applied? According to Kant, under what conditions would it be morally right to lie, to break one’s promises, or to steal? Explain. What, in your view, are the major objections to Kant’s theory?
- What is the meaning of “distributive justice”? Compare and contrast the mechanical, selective, and procedural conceptions of distributive justice. Compare and contrast perfect, imperfect, and pure procedural justice. Which notion of distributive justice do you find most convincing? Explain.
- What are the main similarities and differences between traditional theories of moral obligation and virtue ethics? What are the most important questions in ethics as far as virtue ethics is concerned? Do you agree or disagree that those are the most important ethical questions? Explain.
- Compare and contrast the moral philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Nietzsche. How are they alike? How are they different? Consider each philosopher’s views about human nature, the virtues themselves, the nature and significance of happiness, the relationship between virtue and happiness, and the nature of virtuous conduct.
- What is feminist moral theory? How is it different from traditional theories like utilitarian and Kantian ethics? What are the deficiencies of the traditional theories, according to feminist moral theory? What do its proponents say about women’s moral experience—both how it is different from men’s moral experience and why it is important in ethical theory? What does feminist moral theory say about universal ethical principles? How do feminists say we should go about making moral decisions? Do you agree with them? Why or why not?