Phil 110 Exam Questions with 100% Correct Answers
What is Kant's approach to ethics? How does it differ from consequentialism? - Answer-the rightness or wrongness of actions does not depend on their consequences but on whether they fulfill our duty.
Differs from consequentialism because Util...
Phil 110 Exam Questions
with 100% Correct
Answers
What is Kant's approach to ethics? How does it differ from consequentialism? - Answer-
the rightness or wrongness of actions does not depend on their consequences but on
whether they fulfill our duty.
Differs from consequentialism because Utilitarianism places value in pleasure instead of
persons, kant embracing autonomy of action
A person is a rational being capable of grasping universal concepts and rules and is
autonomous
Consequentialist identify what is worth pursing for its own sake; your moral duty is to
maximize this value, kant rejected this.
Explain the distinction between hypothetical and categorical imperatives. Which
category did Kant think that moral requirements fall into, and why did he think this is
important? - Answer-Hypothetical imperative = an 'ought' that must be obeyed in order
to achieve a certain goal. For example if I want to get money I ought to get a job.
Categorical imperative = Commands you must follow , Regardless of your desires.
Moral obligations are derived from pure reason. Act only on that maxim that you can will
as a universal law.
Moral imperatives are categorical imperatives
Kant believed that it doesn't matter wether you want to be moral or not the moral law is
bidding us all.
What is the categorical imperative? Give an example of its application. - Answer-
Categorical imperative = Commands you must follow , Regardless of your desires.
Moral obligations are derived from pure reason.
Act only on that maxim that you can will as a universal law.
, If i think i should lie to my boyfriend to impress him, it would mean that everyone would
be able to lie. if everyone lies to impress their beloved, then the beloved won't believe
anyone's lie and your lie would simply is pointless.
What gives actions moral worth, according to Kant? - Answer-Acting from the good will
is the only way that actions can be truly praiseworthy.
For example imagine two shop keepers each of whom does his duty to give his
customers the correct change. The first one does this only because he fears that if he
were to cheat them, word would get out and he would lose business in the long run. He
does his duty but there is nothing morally worthy about his behaviour. The second store
owner does the vert same thing, expect for a completely different reason. He treats his
customers fairy because he think that cheating people is wrong, and he is committed to
living up to the highest moral standards. The motivation earns the second shopkeeper
the greatest praise. According to Kant his actions and character display a worth that is
literally priceless.
What does Kant mean by the 'good will'? - Answer-Good will has two parts, it is the
ability to reliably know what your duty is, and a steady commitment to doing your duty
for its own sake. See what we are morally required to do, and do it for that very reason.
No calculations of costs and benefits, no worries about what impression we might be
making what enemies we might be gaining. Once we understand where our duty lies,
we do it straight away
Why does Kant write that the good will is like a jewel? - Answer-Good will is intrinsically
valuable so no matter where it is found it has value. The same goes for like a diamond
or another jewel because you could find it in dirt but it would still be valuable
Present two of Kant's objections to Utilitarianism. - Answer-Utilitarianism places value in
pleasure instead of persons
Utilitarianism judges the moral value of an action based on its outcome
What is Hobbes' "State of Nature"? What does he think it is like in the State of Nature? -
Answer-"natural condition of mankind" is what would exist if there were no government,
no civilization, no laws, and no common power to restrain human nature. ... Life in the
state of nature is "nasty, brutish and short."
What is Hobbes' purpose in discussing the State of Nature? - Answer-Without
government, laws, and no common power to retain human nature we wouldn't live in a
good society. We need all those things in order to function and to understand the
importance of laws and government
A society without laws cannot retain a society for long, so we need laws to have a
functional society.
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