PHILOSOPHY 101;EXAM 2.
Does Rand think that morality and selfishness are opposites? Why or why not? -
ANSWER No. Behaving rationally means putting your own interests first. You have
a duty to act selfish. Morality and altruism are opposites.
What does she think about being selfish? - ANSWER Self esteem. Live in
accordance to your own nature and respect your own ability to do the right thing.
What attitudes or actions does she view as immoral? - ANSWER Self-sacrifice.
Asking help from others. A love that is placed above oneself.
What does one seek, earn and derive from love? - ANSWER love is an expression
of self esteem. A response of one's own values in another. Get's a purpose and
selfish happiness/joy from love.
Why does Rand think that a selfless, disinterested love is a contradiction in terms? -
ANSWER because it means one is indifferent to that which one values.
Is it a sacrifice for a man who is passionately in love with his wife to spend a fortune
to save his wife's life? - ANSWER No it is selfish. Her survival is of greatest
importance to his happiness.
Would it be a sacrifice for a man to let his wife die to save ten other women? -
ANSWER Yes it would be a sacrifice to give up his wife's life.
What would altruism advise this man to do? - ANSWER altruism says that losing
the life of one woman is worth it to save the lives of ten women.
What would Rand advise? - ANSWER Rand says to act in accordance to what
would bring happiness to one's own life. In other words to selfishly save your wife, if
you could not live without her.
Suppose a man fails to save the one he loves and, as a consequence, lives a life of
loneliness. Would Rand morally condemn the action of the man? - ANSWER yes as
treason against their own moral values. values are those which one acts to gain or
keep
What is the virtue involved in helping those one loves? - ANSWER integrity
How does Rand define integrity? - ANSWER loyalty to one's convictions and
values. The policy of acting in accordance to one's values. Upholding them and
translating them into reality.
What does Ayn Rand identify as the ultimate moral value for each human being? -
ANSWER your highest moral purpose is the achievement of one's own happiness.
Is Rand's ethical theory teleological, hedonistic or altruistic? - ANSWER Rand is
an ethical egoist believes in teleological ethics - where only the consequences of an
action are morally relevant.
, PHILOSOPHY 101;EXAM 2.
Does she believe in God? - ANSWER no, own happiness is achieved through
work and thinking.
How does Rand define "selfishness"? - ANSWER As a virtue, because it promotes
ones rational values (own life and happiness).
In popular usage, how has the word "selfishness" commonly been understood? -
ANSWER exploit others for your own gain
What political theories/ systems does Rand tend to support - ANSWER capitalism,
which she thinks respects the individual. Where you have a freedom to function and
a constant rise in general good.
What is the proper role of government? - rand - ANSWER minimalist. Only job is
to protect our rights or protect us from physical violence.
What are the four conditions of the Doctrine of Double Effect (DDE)? - ANSWER
Nature of Act (is it good or neutral)
Intentions
Bad effect is not means to good effect (action must lead directly to good effect. The
bad effect cannot be the means)
Bad effect is proportional to good effect (good must outweigh bad)
How does DDE help one decide whether an action is morally right? - ANSWER if
passes all the conditions independently it is a morally right decision.
How can someone use DDE to justify pulling the lever which would kill one person
in order to save five people from a runaway trolley? - ANSWER it is justifiable if
pulling the lever to divert a runaway trolley onto a track holding one person away
from a track holding 5 people; in that case one foresees the death of one as a side
effect of saving 5, but does not intend it.
How can DDE be applied to prove that it would be wrong to push a man so that his
death saves five other people from a runaway trolley? - ANSWER it is wrong if you
push someone on the track because it would involve intending harm to one as a
means of saving five people. Goes agianst 1st and 3rd.
How can DDE be applied to these cases: - ANSWER a) Robin Hood's act of
stealing from the rich to give to the poor = goes against the 1st and 3rd condition.
b) hysterectomy of a cancerous uterus = justifiable because doctor is aiming to save
the woman's life while merely foreseeing the death of the fetus.
c) abortion to free the woman of an unwanted pregnancy = wrong because intending
to kill a fetus as means to saving mother.
d) terminal sedation that may hasten death =
e) active euthanasia of a dying patient =
Unlike the ancient Greek gods, how does Aquinas describe the Judeo-Christian
God? - ANSWER He wished to ground the judeo-christian God in logical reason. 5
arguments to prove his existence:
Argument from motion
Does Rand think that morality and selfishness are opposites? Why or why not? -
ANSWER No. Behaving rationally means putting your own interests first. You have
a duty to act selfish. Morality and altruism are opposites.
What does she think about being selfish? - ANSWER Self esteem. Live in
accordance to your own nature and respect your own ability to do the right thing.
What attitudes or actions does she view as immoral? - ANSWER Self-sacrifice.
Asking help from others. A love that is placed above oneself.
What does one seek, earn and derive from love? - ANSWER love is an expression
of self esteem. A response of one's own values in another. Get's a purpose and
selfish happiness/joy from love.
Why does Rand think that a selfless, disinterested love is a contradiction in terms? -
ANSWER because it means one is indifferent to that which one values.
Is it a sacrifice for a man who is passionately in love with his wife to spend a fortune
to save his wife's life? - ANSWER No it is selfish. Her survival is of greatest
importance to his happiness.
Would it be a sacrifice for a man to let his wife die to save ten other women? -
ANSWER Yes it would be a sacrifice to give up his wife's life.
What would altruism advise this man to do? - ANSWER altruism says that losing
the life of one woman is worth it to save the lives of ten women.
What would Rand advise? - ANSWER Rand says to act in accordance to what
would bring happiness to one's own life. In other words to selfishly save your wife, if
you could not live without her.
Suppose a man fails to save the one he loves and, as a consequence, lives a life of
loneliness. Would Rand morally condemn the action of the man? - ANSWER yes as
treason against their own moral values. values are those which one acts to gain or
keep
What is the virtue involved in helping those one loves? - ANSWER integrity
How does Rand define integrity? - ANSWER loyalty to one's convictions and
values. The policy of acting in accordance to one's values. Upholding them and
translating them into reality.
What does Ayn Rand identify as the ultimate moral value for each human being? -
ANSWER your highest moral purpose is the achievement of one's own happiness.
Is Rand's ethical theory teleological, hedonistic or altruistic? - ANSWER Rand is
an ethical egoist believes in teleological ethics - where only the consequences of an
action are morally relevant.
, PHILOSOPHY 101;EXAM 2.
Does she believe in God? - ANSWER no, own happiness is achieved through
work and thinking.
How does Rand define "selfishness"? - ANSWER As a virtue, because it promotes
ones rational values (own life and happiness).
In popular usage, how has the word "selfishness" commonly been understood? -
ANSWER exploit others for your own gain
What political theories/ systems does Rand tend to support - ANSWER capitalism,
which she thinks respects the individual. Where you have a freedom to function and
a constant rise in general good.
What is the proper role of government? - rand - ANSWER minimalist. Only job is
to protect our rights or protect us from physical violence.
What are the four conditions of the Doctrine of Double Effect (DDE)? - ANSWER
Nature of Act (is it good or neutral)
Intentions
Bad effect is not means to good effect (action must lead directly to good effect. The
bad effect cannot be the means)
Bad effect is proportional to good effect (good must outweigh bad)
How does DDE help one decide whether an action is morally right? - ANSWER if
passes all the conditions independently it is a morally right decision.
How can someone use DDE to justify pulling the lever which would kill one person
in order to save five people from a runaway trolley? - ANSWER it is justifiable if
pulling the lever to divert a runaway trolley onto a track holding one person away
from a track holding 5 people; in that case one foresees the death of one as a side
effect of saving 5, but does not intend it.
How can DDE be applied to prove that it would be wrong to push a man so that his
death saves five other people from a runaway trolley? - ANSWER it is wrong if you
push someone on the track because it would involve intending harm to one as a
means of saving five people. Goes agianst 1st and 3rd.
How can DDE be applied to these cases: - ANSWER a) Robin Hood's act of
stealing from the rich to give to the poor = goes against the 1st and 3rd condition.
b) hysterectomy of a cancerous uterus = justifiable because doctor is aiming to save
the woman's life while merely foreseeing the death of the fetus.
c) abortion to free the woman of an unwanted pregnancy = wrong because intending
to kill a fetus as means to saving mother.
d) terminal sedation that may hasten death =
e) active euthanasia of a dying patient =
Unlike the ancient Greek gods, how does Aquinas describe the Judeo-Christian
God? - ANSWER He wished to ground the judeo-christian God in logical reason. 5
arguments to prove his existence:
Argument from motion
