PHIL 160 KU FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Define Ethics - Answers - ethics is the normative study of human conduct. It attempts to
achieve a systematic understanding of how we ought to live and why
normative discipline - Answers - Normative disciplines tell us how things ought to be or
should be, they aim to guide human conduct. They are evaluative and directive.
Descriptive discipline - Answers - descriptive disciplines in contrast to normative
disciplines; describe the world and tell how things are, were, or how they will be and
why.
Fundamental Project of Moral Philosophy - Answers - As described by Socrates; the
FPMP is to explain what makes morally right actions right by discovering, formulating,
and defending a criterion of right action.
Moral Point of view - Answers - A fair and impartial point of view from which we can
reconcile conflicts of interest
Prudential Point of View - Answers - Whether the act best promotes the agent's own
long-term well-being
Legal Point of View - Answers - whether the act is permissible
according to the law (in a certain place, at a certain time)
What is a criterion? - Answers - necessary and sufficient conditions for a term or
concept
Necessary conditions - Answers - X is a necessary condition for Y just in case X is
required for Y
"if not x then not y"
example: "in order to president of the US, you must be 35 years old"
Sufficient conditions - Answers - x is a sufficient condition for y
"if x then y"
example: "if you throw an egg, it will break"
What is an argument? - Answers - a series of connected ideas (premises) that are
presented by an author in support of some point of view that they want to convince us of
(the conclusion).
What makes an argument sound? - Answers - if and only if it is valid and all its premises
are true and it is factually correct.
, What makes an argument factually correct? - Answers - If and only if it has all true
premises
What makes an argument valid? - Answers - if all the premises are true then the
conclusion must be true
Valid Deductive Forms - Answers - 1) Modus Ponens
2)Disjunctive syllogism
3)Modus Tollens
4) Hypothetical syllogism
Logical Fallacies - Answers - 1) Affirming the consequent
2) denying the antecedent
Can a valid argument has false premises? - Answers - Yes, as long as its logical form
matches one of the valid models (ex. modus ponens)
Can a valid argument have a false conclusion? - Answers - Yes, only if one of the
premises is false.
Can a valid argument have true premises and a false conclusion? - Answers - No
because the conclusion must be true if all premises are, otherwise its not valid.
Divine Command Theory - Answers - An action is morally right iff it does not violate any
one of God's commands. The two interpretations are theological voluntarism an the
divine advisor view.
Theological Voluntarism - Answers - An action is right simply because God commanded
it; and an action is wrong or evil simply because God disapproves of it. Before he did
so, they were neither right or wrong
Divine Advisor View - Answers - God's commands are totally reliable, but being
commanded by God isn't what makes right actions right. Acts are right by some
independent standard.
Objection to Theological Voluntarism - Answers - 1) Mysterious
2)Wrong reasons
3)Arbitrary
4)Nihilism in God's absence
Socrates' Euthyphro Argument - Answers - 1)If DC is true, then either theological
voluntarism is true, or else the acts God commands are right by some independent
standard
(p→(q v r))
2) Its not the case that theological voluntarism is true (-q)
Define Ethics - Answers - ethics is the normative study of human conduct. It attempts to
achieve a systematic understanding of how we ought to live and why
normative discipline - Answers - Normative disciplines tell us how things ought to be or
should be, they aim to guide human conduct. They are evaluative and directive.
Descriptive discipline - Answers - descriptive disciplines in contrast to normative
disciplines; describe the world and tell how things are, were, or how they will be and
why.
Fundamental Project of Moral Philosophy - Answers - As described by Socrates; the
FPMP is to explain what makes morally right actions right by discovering, formulating,
and defending a criterion of right action.
Moral Point of view - Answers - A fair and impartial point of view from which we can
reconcile conflicts of interest
Prudential Point of View - Answers - Whether the act best promotes the agent's own
long-term well-being
Legal Point of View - Answers - whether the act is permissible
according to the law (in a certain place, at a certain time)
What is a criterion? - Answers - necessary and sufficient conditions for a term or
concept
Necessary conditions - Answers - X is a necessary condition for Y just in case X is
required for Y
"if not x then not y"
example: "in order to president of the US, you must be 35 years old"
Sufficient conditions - Answers - x is a sufficient condition for y
"if x then y"
example: "if you throw an egg, it will break"
What is an argument? - Answers - a series of connected ideas (premises) that are
presented by an author in support of some point of view that they want to convince us of
(the conclusion).
What makes an argument sound? - Answers - if and only if it is valid and all its premises
are true and it is factually correct.
, What makes an argument factually correct? - Answers - If and only if it has all true
premises
What makes an argument valid? - Answers - if all the premises are true then the
conclusion must be true
Valid Deductive Forms - Answers - 1) Modus Ponens
2)Disjunctive syllogism
3)Modus Tollens
4) Hypothetical syllogism
Logical Fallacies - Answers - 1) Affirming the consequent
2) denying the antecedent
Can a valid argument has false premises? - Answers - Yes, as long as its logical form
matches one of the valid models (ex. modus ponens)
Can a valid argument have a false conclusion? - Answers - Yes, only if one of the
premises is false.
Can a valid argument have true premises and a false conclusion? - Answers - No
because the conclusion must be true if all premises are, otherwise its not valid.
Divine Command Theory - Answers - An action is morally right iff it does not violate any
one of God's commands. The two interpretations are theological voluntarism an the
divine advisor view.
Theological Voluntarism - Answers - An action is right simply because God commanded
it; and an action is wrong or evil simply because God disapproves of it. Before he did
so, they were neither right or wrong
Divine Advisor View - Answers - God's commands are totally reliable, but being
commanded by God isn't what makes right actions right. Acts are right by some
independent standard.
Objection to Theological Voluntarism - Answers - 1) Mysterious
2)Wrong reasons
3)Arbitrary
4)Nihilism in God's absence
Socrates' Euthyphro Argument - Answers - 1)If DC is true, then either theological
voluntarism is true, or else the acts God commands are right by some independent
standard
(p→(q v r))
2) Its not the case that theological voluntarism is true (-q)
