PHIL 201 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE, ALREADY
GRADED A+.
Moral Good
A quality of moral agents and their actions
Natural Good
Refers to happiness or whatever is conducive to it
Intrinsic Good
Things desirable for their own sake. It is valuable because of what it is. Its value lies within itself. It is an
end in itself.
Extrinsic Good
Things desirable for the sake of something else. It is valuable because of what it does. It is a means to an
end.
Which good does teleology regard as intrinsic? What is it specifically?
Natural Goodness.
Which good does deontology regard as intrinsic? What is it specifically?
Moral Goodness.
Which approach defines moral goodness exclusively in terms of the natural goods it produces?
The Teleological approach. Moral goodness is productive of happiness.
Various names for the teleological approach
Consequentialism (The end justifies the means)
The two most basic types of hedonism
Egoistic and Social (Utilitarianism)
Egoistic Hedonism
Aristippus: Physical pleasures are best.
Epicurus: Mental pleasures are best.
"Wer nicht liebt Weiber, Wein, Gesang, der bleibt ein Narr sein Leben lang."
Ataraxia, or freedom, from disturbance is the ideal.
Social (Utilitarianism) Hedonism
Jeremy Bentham: Pleasures are equal and can be quantified. Seeks most pleasure.
John Stuart Mill: Pleasures aren't equal and can't be quantified. Seeks best pleasure.
The Naturalistic Fallacy
, One cannot derive an 'ought' from an 'is.'
The problem from which any form of hedonism suffers
Both approaches define morality in terms of happiness.
What is the single virtue that social hedonism treats as though it were the whole of morality?
Happiness
Motto typifying the Teleological approach
The end justifies the means
Motto typifying the Deontological approach
Virtue is its own reward.
What is another name for utilitarianism?
The Principle of Utility
The Benevolence Principle as the guiding principle of utilitarianism
"We ought to act so as to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number."
What "greatest amount of pleasure" meant for Bentham and Mill
Bentham: the most (quantity) pleasure
Mill: the best (quality) pleasure
With whom is the "hedonic calculus" is associated?
Bentham
Who argued for a qualitative understanding of pleasure, rejecting any hedonic calculus
Mill
The act/rule-utilitarianism distinction
Act-Utilitarianism: "What particular action should be done in this situation to bring about the greatest
happiness for the greatest number?" They seek to achieve the greatest good on a case by case basis
without regard for general rules.
Rule-Utilitarianism: "What rule should be followed to bring about the greatest happiness for the
greatest number?" Since it would cease to be a rule if people regarded it as merely advisory, the rule-
utilitarian maintains that the rule is to be followed even in instances where it does not promote the
greatest general good.
This approach is the right one on purely utilitarian grounds: where people are allowed to "make up the
rules" as they go. Hence, binding rules are the only assurance that the common good will prevail.
Who (Bentham, Mill) espoused which utilitarianism distinction
GRADED A+.
Moral Good
A quality of moral agents and their actions
Natural Good
Refers to happiness or whatever is conducive to it
Intrinsic Good
Things desirable for their own sake. It is valuable because of what it is. Its value lies within itself. It is an
end in itself.
Extrinsic Good
Things desirable for the sake of something else. It is valuable because of what it does. It is a means to an
end.
Which good does teleology regard as intrinsic? What is it specifically?
Natural Goodness.
Which good does deontology regard as intrinsic? What is it specifically?
Moral Goodness.
Which approach defines moral goodness exclusively in terms of the natural goods it produces?
The Teleological approach. Moral goodness is productive of happiness.
Various names for the teleological approach
Consequentialism (The end justifies the means)
The two most basic types of hedonism
Egoistic and Social (Utilitarianism)
Egoistic Hedonism
Aristippus: Physical pleasures are best.
Epicurus: Mental pleasures are best.
"Wer nicht liebt Weiber, Wein, Gesang, der bleibt ein Narr sein Leben lang."
Ataraxia, or freedom, from disturbance is the ideal.
Social (Utilitarianism) Hedonism
Jeremy Bentham: Pleasures are equal and can be quantified. Seeks most pleasure.
John Stuart Mill: Pleasures aren't equal and can't be quantified. Seeks best pleasure.
The Naturalistic Fallacy
, One cannot derive an 'ought' from an 'is.'
The problem from which any form of hedonism suffers
Both approaches define morality in terms of happiness.
What is the single virtue that social hedonism treats as though it were the whole of morality?
Happiness
Motto typifying the Teleological approach
The end justifies the means
Motto typifying the Deontological approach
Virtue is its own reward.
What is another name for utilitarianism?
The Principle of Utility
The Benevolence Principle as the guiding principle of utilitarianism
"We ought to act so as to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number."
What "greatest amount of pleasure" meant for Bentham and Mill
Bentham: the most (quantity) pleasure
Mill: the best (quality) pleasure
With whom is the "hedonic calculus" is associated?
Bentham
Who argued for a qualitative understanding of pleasure, rejecting any hedonic calculus
Mill
The act/rule-utilitarianism distinction
Act-Utilitarianism: "What particular action should be done in this situation to bring about the greatest
happiness for the greatest number?" They seek to achieve the greatest good on a case by case basis
without regard for general rules.
Rule-Utilitarianism: "What rule should be followed to bring about the greatest happiness for the
greatest number?" Since it would cease to be a rule if people regarded it as merely advisory, the rule-
utilitarian maintains that the rule is to be followed even in instances where it does not promote the
greatest general good.
This approach is the right one on purely utilitarian grounds: where people are allowed to "make up the
rules" as they go. Hence, binding rules are the only assurance that the common good will prevail.
Who (Bentham, Mill) espoused which utilitarianism distinction
