Philosophy 341
Spring 1998
FINAL EXAM
One essay question from those listed below along with about six
identifications will be chosen by the instructor at the time of the
exam. The same guidelines apply as for the midterm.
Essay Questions:
- Explain Hume's "sentimentalist" theory of moral judgment. Why
does he say that moral judgment can't be based on "reason"?
Explain how he interprets the terms involved in his account, and
what grounds he gives for it. Are they adequate? Explain why/why
not.
- Explain how Kant's view is supposed to apply to a case of
"imperfect" duty such as the duty to aid people in distress. Take
one of the versions of the categorical imperative and illustrate
the steps involved in applying it to the case. In what sense does
he think a "perfect" duty is more important? Do you agree?
Explain why/why not.
- Can utilitarianism on Mill's account explain when and why we
should punish lawbreakers? Raise a problematic case for Mill's
account--one example suggested in class was imposing the death
penalty on 5% of drug dealers, but you may choose another example--
and show how Mill might try to respond to it. Is the response
adequate? Why/why not?
- Mill gives two "maxims" of liberty in On Liberty, p. 1087. Are
these compatible with his defense in Utilitarianism of a single
principle for deciding rightness or wrongness in terms of
consequences? Are there any cases where individual liberty of the
sort he defends might seem to have bad consequences for society in
general? How might he try to handle such cases within the terms of
his theory?
Terms for Identification:
- calm passions
- sympathy
- natural vs. artificial virtues
- the good will
- inclination
- hypothetical vs. categorical imperatives
- autonomy
- respect for persons
- kingdom of ends
- Principle of Utility
- qualitative differences among pleasures
- expediency vs. principle
- expediency vs. morality
- veil of ignorance