Study Questions 1

(for 1^st. midterm, July 11^th 2003, Thursday

 

Philosophy 1175                                                                                          

East Carolina University

Instructor: Yalçın

 

General Background:

 

What is conceptual analysis?

What is argument evaluation?

What does it mean to say that an argument is valid?

What does it mean to say that an argument is sound?

 

Hinman Chapter 2

 

What is descriptive ethical relativism?

What is normative ethical relativism?

What is supposed to be attractive about ethical relativism?

What is the difference between fundamental and peripheral ethical values?

What is the problem of individuating cultures?

What are the five problems people raise against ethical relativism? (Hinman, pages 50-59)

 

Hinman Chapter 4

 

What does it mean to say that the difference between psychological and moral egoism is that one is descriptive while the other is normative.

What is the difference between genuine self-interest and “perceived” self interest?

What does it mean to say that people always act in accordance with their strongest desires?

Is acting in accordance with one’s strongest desires the same thing as acting in one’s self-interest?

How is psychological egoism supposed to be supporting moral egoism?

How is psychological egoism supposed to be undermining moral egoism?

What is altruism?  Are there possibly different definitions of it?

Is there any way to define ‘self-interest’ and ‘altruism’ so that one could be acting in one’s self interest while acting altruistically?

What is determinism?

What is indeterminism?

What is a necessary cause?

What is sufficient cause?

How are freedom and responsibility related?

What is the difference between acting in one’s self interest and acting to maximize one’s self interest?

Can one simply derive an “ought” from an “is”?

What does it mean to say that “ought” implies “can”?

What arguments can be used to support ethical egoism?

What are the criticisms of ethical egoism?

 

From the readings from Boss:

 

Make sure that you are able to come up with reasonable answers to the discussion questions found at the end of the following readings (page numbers indicate where the questions can be found).

 

Benedict (p. 70)

Frye (p. 77)

Goldhagen p. 84

King (p. 89)

Plato (pp. 215-216)

Rand (p. 230)