PHI 130 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Dante is a gifted scholar-athlete who is admitted to university on a full scholarship.
However, once he gets there, he turns his attention to partying and neglecting his
studies, and he is cut from the athletic team. He ends up losing his scholarship and
returns home in shame. From Kant's perspective, what was problematic about Dante's
actions? - Answer- By failing to cultivate his talents, Dante has failed to promote the
value of life.
According to the textbook's author, why is it impossible to will the universalization of a
maxim permitting casual theft? - Answer- Such a maxim would result in the institution of
owning property breaking down, and so there would be no such thing as theft.
Why does Gilligan argue that moral philosophies like Kant's are gendered? - Answer-
Kant's focus on rules as the basis for moral thinking ignores the typical ways that
women think about moral problems.
Which of the following is a formulation of Kant's categorical imperative? - Answer- Act in
accordance with the maxims of a member giving universal laws for a necessary
kingdom of ends.
The formulation of the categorical imperative as a kingdom of ends is intended to
emphasize that each one of us is both ruler and ruled, and the system of moral law
binds us together. - Answer- True
What is the difference between autonomy and heteronomy? - Answer- An autonomous
person acts freely, whereas a heteronomous person acts out of self-interest or concern
for others.
Which of the following is a possible translation of the term eudaemonia? - Answer-
flourishing
The Stoics suggested that happiness could be achieved without external goods or
outward success, in part to avoid the influence of luck in being able to live a good life. -
Answer- True
Which of the following best describes Aristotle's conception of virtue? - Answer- Virtue is
the mean between two vices.
, What, according to Aristotle, is the function of human beings? - Answer- to live a life in
conformity with human excellence and virtue
Which of the following traits would Aristotle likely consider a vice? - Answer-
extravagance
Which broad question is Aristotle interested in answering in the Nicomachean Ethics? -
Answer- How should I live?
What is one way in which Aristotle fails to anticipate Christian morality? - Answer-
Aristotle does not advocate for poverty and self-sacrifice.
DeeAnna is a volunteer firefighter in her community. As part of her training she has
learned a lot about when it is safe to enter a burning building and how to enter it safely.
When she is called out to a fire one day, she rushes into a building without first
considering whether it was safe. Her action, which some would call foolhardy, is one
extreme of a possible virtue of bravery. Which other extreme would fit into Aristotle's
understanding? - Answer- cowardice
What does the Greek term phronesis mean? - Answer- practical wisdom
Which of the following, for Aristotle, is an element of habituation into virtue? - Answer-
the knowledge why
What were the findings of the telephone booth study? - Answer- Participants who
unexpectedly found a dime almost always helped a conspirator in distress, while those
who didn't almost always did not.
In what would have been an unusual position given his historical time period, Bentham
believed that the pleasures and pains of all sentient creatures, not just those of humans,
had moral significance. - Answer- True
In Bentham and Mill's conceptions of utilitarianism, pleasure is only one of many things
that are good, and pain is only one of many things that are bad. When performing a
utilitarian calculus, we should weigh all of the possible goods and bads against one
another, including happiness and pain. - Answer- False
What, according to Mill, is the "sole evidence it is possible to produce that anything is
desirable"? - Answer- that people actually desire it
After years of evading arrest, the serial killer known as "Jimmy the Deli Slicer," who
executed his victims by slowly cutting off small portions of their bodies, is captured.
Thanks in part to the meticulous notes that he kept, James is convicted of 31 counts of
murder. As the sentencing phase of the trial approaches, some members of the public
advocate for James to be executed. Others claim that killing him would make the
AND ANSWERS
Dante is a gifted scholar-athlete who is admitted to university on a full scholarship.
However, once he gets there, he turns his attention to partying and neglecting his
studies, and he is cut from the athletic team. He ends up losing his scholarship and
returns home in shame. From Kant's perspective, what was problematic about Dante's
actions? - Answer- By failing to cultivate his talents, Dante has failed to promote the
value of life.
According to the textbook's author, why is it impossible to will the universalization of a
maxim permitting casual theft? - Answer- Such a maxim would result in the institution of
owning property breaking down, and so there would be no such thing as theft.
Why does Gilligan argue that moral philosophies like Kant's are gendered? - Answer-
Kant's focus on rules as the basis for moral thinking ignores the typical ways that
women think about moral problems.
Which of the following is a formulation of Kant's categorical imperative? - Answer- Act in
accordance with the maxims of a member giving universal laws for a necessary
kingdom of ends.
The formulation of the categorical imperative as a kingdom of ends is intended to
emphasize that each one of us is both ruler and ruled, and the system of moral law
binds us together. - Answer- True
What is the difference between autonomy and heteronomy? - Answer- An autonomous
person acts freely, whereas a heteronomous person acts out of self-interest or concern
for others.
Which of the following is a possible translation of the term eudaemonia? - Answer-
flourishing
The Stoics suggested that happiness could be achieved without external goods or
outward success, in part to avoid the influence of luck in being able to live a good life. -
Answer- True
Which of the following best describes Aristotle's conception of virtue? - Answer- Virtue is
the mean between two vices.
, What, according to Aristotle, is the function of human beings? - Answer- to live a life in
conformity with human excellence and virtue
Which of the following traits would Aristotle likely consider a vice? - Answer-
extravagance
Which broad question is Aristotle interested in answering in the Nicomachean Ethics? -
Answer- How should I live?
What is one way in which Aristotle fails to anticipate Christian morality? - Answer-
Aristotle does not advocate for poverty and self-sacrifice.
DeeAnna is a volunteer firefighter in her community. As part of her training she has
learned a lot about when it is safe to enter a burning building and how to enter it safely.
When she is called out to a fire one day, she rushes into a building without first
considering whether it was safe. Her action, which some would call foolhardy, is one
extreme of a possible virtue of bravery. Which other extreme would fit into Aristotle's
understanding? - Answer- cowardice
What does the Greek term phronesis mean? - Answer- practical wisdom
Which of the following, for Aristotle, is an element of habituation into virtue? - Answer-
the knowledge why
What were the findings of the telephone booth study? - Answer- Participants who
unexpectedly found a dime almost always helped a conspirator in distress, while those
who didn't almost always did not.
In what would have been an unusual position given his historical time period, Bentham
believed that the pleasures and pains of all sentient creatures, not just those of humans,
had moral significance. - Answer- True
In Bentham and Mill's conceptions of utilitarianism, pleasure is only one of many things
that are good, and pain is only one of many things that are bad. When performing a
utilitarian calculus, we should weigh all of the possible goods and bads against one
another, including happiness and pain. - Answer- False
What, according to Mill, is the "sole evidence it is possible to produce that anything is
desirable"? - Answer- that people actually desire it
After years of evading arrest, the serial killer known as "Jimmy the Deli Slicer," who
executed his victims by slowly cutting off small portions of their bodies, is captured.
Thanks in part to the meticulous notes that he kept, James is convicted of 31 counts of
murder. As the sentencing phase of the trial approaches, some members of the public
advocate for James to be executed. Others claim that killing him would make the
