PHIL 102: Study Questions for the Final Exam
When preparing for the exam, it is a good idea to take notes and summarize the main points from each
of the readings. The following questions should help you to avoid overlooking important points.
-What is the difference between ethics and political philosophy?
Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant (p. 433)
- What is the categorical imperative? What is its point? Does it admit exceptions?
- What is the practical imperative?
- Does the morality of an action depend on its consequences, according to Kant?
Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill (p. 438)
- What is the utilitarian or greatest happiness principle? What is its point?
- Does the morality of an action depend on its consequences, according to Mill?
- Whose happiness matters? Can the utilitarian principle require self-sacrifice on some occasions?
A Supreme Moral Principle?, Steven M. Cahn (p. 409)
- What is the golden rule and what counterexample shows that it fails as the supreme moral principle?
- How can Kant’s categorical imperative permit repugnant actions and lead to conflicting maxims?
- What is the advantage of the utilitarian principle over the categorical imperative and what is its flaw?
- How can Mill’s utilitarian principle permit morally repugnant actions?
Kant’s Ethics, Onora O’Neill (p. 399)
- What does Kant’s “End in Itself” formulation of the Categorical Imperative mean? (Note: this is what
Kant also calls the “Practical Imperative” in Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals.)
- Can we use others without their consent? And can we use them with their consent?
A Defense of Abortion, Judith Jarvis Thompson (p. 449)
- How may abortion be morally permissible even if we grant that the fetus has a right to life?
- What are the violinist, burglar, people-seeds analogies and what cases of abortion do they justify?
- Why having the right to life does not guarantee a right to use another person’s body?
Why Abortion is Immoral, Don Marquis (p. 472)
- What are the traditional anti-abortion and pro-choice principles what is wrong with them?
- What is Marquis’ proposal to overcome this standoff? Does he rely on fetuses being persons?
- What alternative moral consideration he offers against abortion?
Active and Passive Euthanasia, James Rachels (p. 488)
- What is the difference between active and passive euthanasia?
- Why is passive euthanasia usually regarded as morally permissible while active euthanasia is not?
- What are the benefits of active euthanasia over passive euthanasia, according to Rachels?
- How does Rachels argue that killing is not worse than letting die with his Smith and Jones case?
The Intentional Termination of Life, Bonnie Steinbock (p. 493)
- How does Steinbock argue against Rachels’ conclusion that euthanasia is morally permissible?
When preparing for the exam, it is a good idea to take notes and summarize the main points from each
of the readings. The following questions should help you to avoid overlooking important points.
-What is the difference between ethics and political philosophy?
Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant (p. 433)
- What is the categorical imperative? What is its point? Does it admit exceptions?
- What is the practical imperative?
- Does the morality of an action depend on its consequences, according to Kant?
Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill (p. 438)
- What is the utilitarian or greatest happiness principle? What is its point?
- Does the morality of an action depend on its consequences, according to Mill?
- Whose happiness matters? Can the utilitarian principle require self-sacrifice on some occasions?
A Supreme Moral Principle?, Steven M. Cahn (p. 409)
- What is the golden rule and what counterexample shows that it fails as the supreme moral principle?
- How can Kant’s categorical imperative permit repugnant actions and lead to conflicting maxims?
- What is the advantage of the utilitarian principle over the categorical imperative and what is its flaw?
- How can Mill’s utilitarian principle permit morally repugnant actions?
Kant’s Ethics, Onora O’Neill (p. 399)
- What does Kant’s “End in Itself” formulation of the Categorical Imperative mean? (Note: this is what
Kant also calls the “Practical Imperative” in Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals.)
- Can we use others without their consent? And can we use them with their consent?
A Defense of Abortion, Judith Jarvis Thompson (p. 449)
- How may abortion be morally permissible even if we grant that the fetus has a right to life?
- What are the violinist, burglar, people-seeds analogies and what cases of abortion do they justify?
- Why having the right to life does not guarantee a right to use another person’s body?
Why Abortion is Immoral, Don Marquis (p. 472)
- What are the traditional anti-abortion and pro-choice principles what is wrong with them?
- What is Marquis’ proposal to overcome this standoff? Does he rely on fetuses being persons?
- What alternative moral consideration he offers against abortion?
Active and Passive Euthanasia, James Rachels (p. 488)
- What is the difference between active and passive euthanasia?
- Why is passive euthanasia usually regarded as morally permissible while active euthanasia is not?
- What are the benefits of active euthanasia over passive euthanasia, according to Rachels?
- How does Rachels argue that killing is not worse than letting die with his Smith and Jones case?
The Intentional Termination of Life, Bonnie Steinbock (p. 493)
- How does Steinbock argue against Rachels’ conclusion that euthanasia is morally permissible?
