Review 3rd Exam

PHL 359 Review Guide for Third (Final) Exam (Kant through Nussbaum) Prof. Stephens

I. Kant

Preface
1. In which three sciences does K say ancient Greek philosophy was divided? Which ancient Greek school made this division originally?
2. Briefly explain K's distinction between material knowledge and formal knowledge.
3. What two types of law apply to material philosophy?
4. What does K say his purpose is in Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals? (p. 5)
5. From what source does K say moral laws derive?

First and Second Sections
1. What is the only thing good without qualification, according to K?
2. What is the relationship between this sole unconditional good and happiness?
3. What consideration does K think indicates that happiness is NOT the real end of nature in a being with reason and will?
4. Explain the relationships among reason, will, and happiness, according to K.
5. What does K say is the purpose of reason?
6. Identify the FOUR types of action having to do with duty. From which type does all moral worth derive, according to K?
7. How does K define maxim?
8. How does K define practical law?
9. How does K define inclination?
10. How does K define duty?
11. What does K think a person can respect? What does he think a person cannot respect?
12. How does K define imperative? Explain the difference between a categorical imperative and a hypothetical imperative.
13. State the one and only Categorical Imperative.
14. Identify six different duties mentioned by Kant.
15. Briefly explain Kant's account of respect for persons.
16. In what sense does K think we should interpret the scriptural command to love one's neighbor?

J. S. Mill

Chapter 1
1. Which famous ancient Greek philosopher does M say asserted the theory of utilitarianism?
2. What formative effect does M say the greatest happiness principle has had on the moral doctrines of those who reject it? (3)
3. What does M say K grotesquely failed to show? (4)
4. To what kind of proof does M say propositions like "health is good" and "pleasure is good" are amenable? (4)

Chapter 2
1. According to M, what makes an action right? What makes an action wrong? (7)
2. What is M's view about what makes a thing desirable? (7)
3. Explain Mill's comparison between intellectual pleasures, sentiments, and faculties on the one hand and sensual pleasures on the other. What determines whether one pleasure is more desirable than another? What does M say about dignity? (9)
4. Explain Mill's characterization of the life of a being of higher faculties versus the life of a being whose capacities of enjoyment are low. How does M distinguish happiness and contentment? Between the wise person and the fool?
5. What does Mill think about the vulnerability of the capacity for nobler feelings? (10)
6. What role does nobility of character play in Utilitarianism? (11)
7. Carefully and accurately state the Greatest Happiness Principle. (12)
8. What is Mill's view of education? (13)
9. What are the TWO main constituents of a satisfied life, according to Mill? (13)
10. How does Mill characterize a cultivated mind? (14)
11. What does Mill think about "all the grand sources of human suffering"? (15)
12. What does Mill say about the person who faces fate and fortune like a Stoic in the Roman Empire? (16)
13. What does Mill say about sacrifice? (17)
14. What does M say utilitarianism requires the agent to be concerning his own happiness and that of others? (17)
15. What does M say about the motives a system of ethics requires? (18)
16. What does M say the great majority of good actions are intended for? What does he think is the object of virtue? (19)
17. According to Mill, how do the estimates of character and actions relate to each other? (20)
18. How does Mill think God and God's will relate to utilitarianism? (22)
19. What is Mill's reply to the criticism that there is often not enough time to calculate the consequences of actions? (23-24)
20. What does Mill say about the rigidity of laws and peculiarities of circumstances? (25)

Chapter 3
1. What does Mill think constitutes CONSCIENCE? (29)
2. How does Mill think the moral feelings arise? (31)
3. According to Mill, what is the necessary condition for the existence of a society between equals? (32)
4. How does Mill think the feeling of unity and sympathy can be made sufficient as the ultimate sanction for the happiness morality? (33)
5. What does Mill say about conflict between one's own feelings and aims and those of others? (34)

Chapter 4
1. Present Mill's Proof of the Greatest Happiness Principle (in 6-steps, as given by Stephens).
2. What is the relationship between music, health, money, power, and fame and happiness?
3. Present Mill's Proof of the Principle of Utility (4 steps). (39)
4. Briefly explain Mill's distinction between will and desire. (39-40)

Chapter 5
1. Explain Mill's account of justice and injustice. What SIX forms of violations of justice does he identify?
2. Briefly explain Mill's distinction between Perfect Duties and Imperfect Duties.

F. W. Nietzsche

Preface
1.What does he think is alone fitting for a philosopher? (section 2)
2. Which philosophers does he say shared a low regard for compassion? (section 5)
3. What is Tartuffery? (section 6)

First Treatise
1. What is the main thesis he argues for in this treatise?
2. Explain his notion of the herd instinct. (section 2)
3. Explain his account of the origin of "the good" and "goodness," and "the bad."
4. Explain his view of the origin of the "pure one". Briefly describe the metaphysics of priests. (section 6)
5. Briefly describe his account of Jesus' Gospel of Love. What does he say about the paradox of a "god on the cross"? (section 8)
6. Explain his account of "the slave revolt in morality." What caused it? What was its upshot? (section 10)
7. Explain his account of the origin of "evil" and "the evil one." (section 10 and elsewhere)
8. What does N. think is the meaning of all culture? (section 11, p. 23)
9. Explain his notion of the lambs and the birds of prey. Who are the lambs? Who are the birds of prey? (section 13)
10. What purpose does the invention of the soul play, according to N.? (section 13, p. 26)

Second Treatise
1. Explain his view of forgetfulness. What is it? How does it relate to other emotional states? (section 1)
2. Describe the ELEVEN different purposes of punishment N. identifies in section 13. (p.53-54)
3. Explain his notion of "bad conscience." How does it arise?

Martha Nussbaum, "Non-Relative Virtues: An Aristotelian Approach"

1. What is the thesis of her paper?
2. What is Aristotle's view of virtue-based ethics and the singleness and objectivity of the human good?
3. How does Nussbaum's approach to virtue ethics differ from that of many current defenders of virtue ethics?
4. What does N. make of the fact that a large number of virtues and vices in Aristotle are nameless?
5. Present Nussbaum's chart of the most important spheres of experience recognized by Aristotle along with their corresponding virtues.
6. What does N. claim about choices and acts in these spheres?
7. How does N. describe Aristotle's procedure? (p. 688)
8. How does N. describe progress in ethics? (p. 688) Describe her examples of progress regarding several different virtues.
9. Describe the three objections to Nussbaum's proposal for non-relative virtue ethics. Which virtues are claimed NOT to be universal?
10. Briefly describe Nussbaum's account of the Stoics on the experience of pain. (p. 692)
11. What does N. say about a notion of original sin as a conception of the proper attitude to one's own human worth? (p. 693)
12. Why does N. think particularism is fully compatible with Aristotelian objectivity? (p. 694)
13. Explain how Nussbaum replies to the three objections to her non-relative virtue ethics.
14. Present Nussbaum's revised account of the spheres of experience in every human life.