PHIL 160 KU FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The normative study of human
Conduct, more specifically the attempt
To achieve a systematic understanding
Of how we ought to live and why - answers - ethics
Fundamental project of moral philosophy - answers - to explain what makes morally
right actions right
X is a necessary condition for y - answers - if x does not occur / obtain, then y will not,
either; or
● in order for y to occur / obtain, x must also occur / obtain.
● y only if x
X is a sufficient condition for y - answers - x↔y
● if x occurs / obtains, then y must, and if y occurs /obtains, then x must, too
A series of considerations that are presented by an author in support of some point of
view that he or she wants to convince us of - answers - arguments (in philospohy)
Iff the truth of its premises would
Guarantee the truth of its conclusion: if all the
Premises were true, then the conclusion would have to be true, too. - answers - validity
-modus ponens
-modus tollens
-disjunctive syllogism
-hypothetical syllogism - answers - forms of valid arguments
Can a valid argument have a false conclusion? - answers - yes
Can a valid argument have false premises? - answers - no
Soudness - answers - iff it is both valid and factually correct
Argument needs what to be sound? - answers - when both valid and factually correct
Devine command theory - answers - an action is morally right iff it does not violate any
one of god's commands
Two options in understanding devine command theory - answers - -theological
voluntarism
- ____ is a true criterion, but not an explanation
, An action is right in virtue of the fact that it doesn't violate god's commands. Right acts
are right because god commanded them; before he did so, they were neither right nor
wrong - answers - theological voluntarism
An action is morally right iff it is permitted by the
Moral code of the society in which it is performed - answers - cultural relativism
Beliefs about what behavior is morally acceptable and/or morally forbidden that are
widely shared within a society - answers - the moral code of society
1. If cr is true, then it is morally permissible for the doctor in togo to mutilate fauziya
against her will.
2. But it is not morally permissible for him to do this.
3. Therefore, it is not the case that cr is true (i.e., cr is false). - answers - argument
based on the fauziya case
1. If cr is true, then bob can find out everything
Relevant to the answer of his question by finding out what the moral code of alabama
society says about slavery.
2. Bob cannot find out everything relevant to the
Answer of his question in this way.
3. Therefore, cr is false. - answers - the 'slavery advice' argument
1. If cr is true, then it never counts as moral progress when the moral code of a society
changes.
2. But sometimes, when the moral code of a society changes, there has been moral
progress.
3. Therefore, cr is false. - answers - moral progress argument
Does not necessarily support _______. It all depends on the local culture's moral code.
If you want to claim that tolerance is a universal value, subscribing to cr will not let you
do it - answers - cr and tolerance
An action is morally right iff it maximizes hedonic utility - answers - act-utilitarianism
The total amount of pleasure that would be produced by the act for everybody
concerned, minus the total amount of pain that would be produced by the act for
everybody concerned - answers - hedonic utility
Pleasure-minus-pain experienced by the agent - answers - hedonic agent utility
1. If au is true, then it is morally permissible for dr.denton to kill mr. Digit and harvest his
organs.
2. It's not the case that it would be morally okay to
Do this.
The normative study of human
Conduct, more specifically the attempt
To achieve a systematic understanding
Of how we ought to live and why - answers - ethics
Fundamental project of moral philosophy - answers - to explain what makes morally
right actions right
X is a necessary condition for y - answers - if x does not occur / obtain, then y will not,
either; or
● in order for y to occur / obtain, x must also occur / obtain.
● y only if x
X is a sufficient condition for y - answers - x↔y
● if x occurs / obtains, then y must, and if y occurs /obtains, then x must, too
A series of considerations that are presented by an author in support of some point of
view that he or she wants to convince us of - answers - arguments (in philospohy)
Iff the truth of its premises would
Guarantee the truth of its conclusion: if all the
Premises were true, then the conclusion would have to be true, too. - answers - validity
-modus ponens
-modus tollens
-disjunctive syllogism
-hypothetical syllogism - answers - forms of valid arguments
Can a valid argument have a false conclusion? - answers - yes
Can a valid argument have false premises? - answers - no
Soudness - answers - iff it is both valid and factually correct
Argument needs what to be sound? - answers - when both valid and factually correct
Devine command theory - answers - an action is morally right iff it does not violate any
one of god's commands
Two options in understanding devine command theory - answers - -theological
voluntarism
- ____ is a true criterion, but not an explanation
, An action is right in virtue of the fact that it doesn't violate god's commands. Right acts
are right because god commanded them; before he did so, they were neither right nor
wrong - answers - theological voluntarism
An action is morally right iff it is permitted by the
Moral code of the society in which it is performed - answers - cultural relativism
Beliefs about what behavior is morally acceptable and/or morally forbidden that are
widely shared within a society - answers - the moral code of society
1. If cr is true, then it is morally permissible for the doctor in togo to mutilate fauziya
against her will.
2. But it is not morally permissible for him to do this.
3. Therefore, it is not the case that cr is true (i.e., cr is false). - answers - argument
based on the fauziya case
1. If cr is true, then bob can find out everything
Relevant to the answer of his question by finding out what the moral code of alabama
society says about slavery.
2. Bob cannot find out everything relevant to the
Answer of his question in this way.
3. Therefore, cr is false. - answers - the 'slavery advice' argument
1. If cr is true, then it never counts as moral progress when the moral code of a society
changes.
2. But sometimes, when the moral code of a society changes, there has been moral
progress.
3. Therefore, cr is false. - answers - moral progress argument
Does not necessarily support _______. It all depends on the local culture's moral code.
If you want to claim that tolerance is a universal value, subscribing to cr will not let you
do it - answers - cr and tolerance
An action is morally right iff it maximizes hedonic utility - answers - act-utilitarianism
The total amount of pleasure that would be produced by the act for everybody
concerned, minus the total amount of pain that would be produced by the act for
everybody concerned - answers - hedonic utility
Pleasure-minus-pain experienced by the agent - answers - hedonic agent utility
1. If au is true, then it is morally permissible for dr.denton to kill mr. Digit and harvest his
organs.
2. It's not the case that it would be morally okay to
Do this.
