PHIL 106 Midterm ALREADY PASSED
What is hedonism? - =The view that the only thing that determines whether life is going well or not is
happiness/pleasure.
What is the distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value? - =intrinsically valuable: valuable in
itself
instrumentally valuable: valuable as a means to bringing about something good.
What is the distinction between physical and attitudinal pleasures and why is relevant to hedonism? -
=physical pleasures: sensations of pleasure
attitudinal pleasures: what you enjoy, they do not need to feel like anything in particular.
How could hedonists respond to the objection that immoral pleasures don't contribute to one's well-
being? - =pleasure, unless its morally wrong, is the only thing that is intrinsically valuable
What are some reasons to believe hedonism? - =1. hedonism seems intuitively plausible (it explains the
items on our list of good things)
2. hedonism allows for many ways to live well
3. but it also allows that we could be wrong about what's good in life
4. it explains common sense rules for living a good life
Explain Mill's distinction between "higher" and "lower" pleasures and its relevance to hedonism. -
=higher pleasures make a greater contribution to well being than other pleasures
How do we know which pleasures are the higher ones? - =the higher pleasures are those preferred by
competent judges (those who have experienced the relevant pleasures)
What is Robert Nozick's idea of the "experience machine"? - =if you plug in you can experience whatever
you want. His point is that that happiness doesn't seem to make our life go as well as the same
experiences and happiness in a real life. We want to actually do stuff, not just have the experience of
doing it.
, Why is it an objection to hedonism? - =according to hedonism, 2 lives would go equally well if they
involved the same experiences of pleasure and paint. but, a life outside the machine would go better
than a life plugged in, even if they both involved the same experiences of pleasure and pain. Therefore,
hedonism is false.
Explain the "False Happiness" objection to hedonism. - =if hedonism is true, happiness makes the same
contribution to well-being whether it is based on false or try beliefs. but, happiness based on false
beliefs contributes less to well being. therefore, hedonism is false.
What is autonomy, and how could someone fail to have autonomy? - =autonomy is being able to live a
life dictated by your own decisions.
things that would undermine autonomy:
excessive political controls
misinformation
interference with one's mental abilities
How does the value of autonomy present a problem for hedonism? - =if hedonism is true, autonomy
makes a person's life go well. But, autonomy makes a person's life go well, even if it doesn't make them
happier. Therefore, hedonism is false.
Explain the "Life's trajectory" and "Unhappiness
as a symptom" objections to hedonism. - =unhappiness as a symptom:
what makes a life go badly is not that one is happiness, as hedonism claims, but the underlying reasons
for one's unhappiness.
you can be harmed even if you are not sad about it. If hedonism is true, you can be harmed by
something only because it saddens you. so, hedonism is false.
trajectory of a life:
the total amount of happiness of two lives is the same. but the better life is the one that started off with
low happiness and ended with high amounts of happiness.
What is hedonism? - =The view that the only thing that determines whether life is going well or not is
happiness/pleasure.
What is the distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value? - =intrinsically valuable: valuable in
itself
instrumentally valuable: valuable as a means to bringing about something good.
What is the distinction between physical and attitudinal pleasures and why is relevant to hedonism? -
=physical pleasures: sensations of pleasure
attitudinal pleasures: what you enjoy, they do not need to feel like anything in particular.
How could hedonists respond to the objection that immoral pleasures don't contribute to one's well-
being? - =pleasure, unless its morally wrong, is the only thing that is intrinsically valuable
What are some reasons to believe hedonism? - =1. hedonism seems intuitively plausible (it explains the
items on our list of good things)
2. hedonism allows for many ways to live well
3. but it also allows that we could be wrong about what's good in life
4. it explains common sense rules for living a good life
Explain Mill's distinction between "higher" and "lower" pleasures and its relevance to hedonism. -
=higher pleasures make a greater contribution to well being than other pleasures
How do we know which pleasures are the higher ones? - =the higher pleasures are those preferred by
competent judges (those who have experienced the relevant pleasures)
What is Robert Nozick's idea of the "experience machine"? - =if you plug in you can experience whatever
you want. His point is that that happiness doesn't seem to make our life go as well as the same
experiences and happiness in a real life. We want to actually do stuff, not just have the experience of
doing it.
, Why is it an objection to hedonism? - =according to hedonism, 2 lives would go equally well if they
involved the same experiences of pleasure and paint. but, a life outside the machine would go better
than a life plugged in, even if they both involved the same experiences of pleasure and pain. Therefore,
hedonism is false.
Explain the "False Happiness" objection to hedonism. - =if hedonism is true, happiness makes the same
contribution to well-being whether it is based on false or try beliefs. but, happiness based on false
beliefs contributes less to well being. therefore, hedonism is false.
What is autonomy, and how could someone fail to have autonomy? - =autonomy is being able to live a
life dictated by your own decisions.
things that would undermine autonomy:
excessive political controls
misinformation
interference with one's mental abilities
How does the value of autonomy present a problem for hedonism? - =if hedonism is true, autonomy
makes a person's life go well. But, autonomy makes a person's life go well, even if it doesn't make them
happier. Therefore, hedonism is false.
Explain the "Life's trajectory" and "Unhappiness
as a symptom" objections to hedonism. - =unhappiness as a symptom:
what makes a life go badly is not that one is happiness, as hedonism claims, but the underlying reasons
for one's unhappiness.
you can be harmed even if you are not sad about it. If hedonism is true, you can be harmed by
something only because it saddens you. so, hedonism is false.
trajectory of a life:
the total amount of happiness of two lives is the same. but the better life is the one that started off with
low happiness and ended with high amounts of happiness.
