Philosophical ethics test 2

What is unconditionally good according to Kant? What does he mean by saying that it is unconditionally good? why is it unconditionally good?

Goodwill

A common criticism of hedonism is that not all pleasures are valuable. What is an example of a pleasure that either isn't valuable or has negative value?

- An addicts pleasure in satiating their addiction - a sadist pleasure in harming another person.

How do you determine if an action satisfies the principle of universalizability?

- Determine the maxim you would act from. - conception test: can you imagine a world where everyone acted on the maxim? - Will test: would you achieve your goal in that world?

What does it mean to treat humanity as an end? as a means? as a mere means? give an example of each.

- End: a goal or value, something that you act for the sake of. - Means: a way of achieving or promoting an end. - Mere means: making lying promises

Some people have objected to Singer on the grounds that the Singer Principle doesn't recognize a difference between our obligations to those near us and those who live far away. How does Singer respond to this concern?

- Moral principles are impartial. distance between people is not themselves morally relevant. - we can effectively provide aid to people very far away from us.

What is going on in Omelas and why might it present a problem for utilitarianism?

- Omelas is a utopian city, but its happiness depends on the continued suffering of one innocent child. - utilitarianism plausibly supports the social practices of Omelas. There is more happiness in Omelas when the child suffers than when the child does not suffer.

why might Omelas present a problem for utilitarianism?

- Utilitarianism endorses unjust actions if justice doesn't maximize utility. - utilitarianism doesn't respect the separateness of persons. - even if utilitarianism can say that the child's treatment is wrong, the reason will be that Omelas has made the world a less happy place overall than it could have been, not that Omelas has mistreated the child per se.

What is a categorical imperative? How is it different from a hypothetical imperative?

- What you must do regardless of your ends. - hypothetical imperative is what you must do in order to achieve some end/goal.

Why does the principle of universalizability show that we have a duty to help others? Why does the principle of humanity show that?

- a world where everyone, "makes a lying promise to repay the money loaned to me in order to get more money" could not exist. Promising would not exist in a world where no one honored their agreements. principle of humanity is the capacity for rational choice, whether in your own person or in the person of any other.

According to Kant, what is the good will? What are some examples of it?

- the ability to reliably know what your duty is. - a commitment to acting from that duty: doing your duty for its own sake. - knowing you have a duty to treat the child with honesty when dealing with change.

What does the duty of justice say about our obligations to people suffering from famine?

- treating humanity as an end requires that we sometimes act to support and improve people's autonomy. - giving aid to people living in poverty and hunger can greatly improve their autonomy. - giving aid is something we can do without too much burden and would provide substantial benefits to others' autonomy.

What does Nozick think that the experience machine demonstrates about what we value?

- we want to do certain things, not just have the experience of doing them - we want to be a certain sort of person - we want to be in contact with a deeper reality.

What are the two arguments of singers view on the obligations to the poor?

1. We have a greater obligation to help people in our own communities than we have to those far away 2. giving money to aid groups does not guarantee that it will get to people who need it or effectively provide aid.

The duty of justice is a perfect duty. A perfect duty is...

A duty owed to all people in all situations.

What is the experience machine?

A machine that would perfectly stimulate any experience you would like to have. the simulated experiences feel not different than the real thing.

The principle of universalizability states: "act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law." What is a maxim?

A personal policy of action.

What is a maxim?

A personal policy of action. specifies an act and a purpose for performing that act.

What is the principle of Humanity?

Act that you use humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means

According to Kant, which of the following are unconditionally good?

Good will.

according to the strong version of the singer principle, if it is within our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of ________, we ought morally to do it.

Comparable moral importance.

Example of an action that is the strong version of SP says todo but the moderate version does not?

If it's in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, we ought to do it... By donating to aid agencies, many Americans can prevent suffering and death from a lack of food, shelter, and medical care without sacrificing anything nearly as important.

According to O'Neill, the duty of beneficence entails that we have a duty to help people suffering from famine and poverty. What should our help aim to accomplish?

It should improve their autonomy.

You order a pizza and the delivery person brings it to you. In doing so, you have treated the delivery persons humanity as a...

Means, End

Carl asks a friend to borrow some money for lunch. However, he secretly plans to skip lunch, donate the money to Doctors without borders, and never pay his friend back. According to the principle of universalizability, is carl acting on the acceptable maxim?

No.

In what ways does O'Neill's view on famine aid differ from a utilitarian view? How is it similar?

O'Neill: act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means but always at the same time as an end. Utilitarianism compares all available acts and sees which has the best effects.

What is the difference between perfect and imperfect duties?

Perfect duty: duty owed to all people in all situations imperfect duty: duty owed to people selectively. we cannot support everyone, all the time. we must choose who we support and when.

According to singer, what obligations do we have to the worlds poor?

Should give more money to poverty/famine.

How does the strong version of the singer principle differ from the moderate one?

Strong version is without sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, while moderate version is without sacrificing anything of moral importance.

Kevin's Kidneys are failing. He won't have long to live unless he receives a new kidney. David is in excellent health, has two well-functioning kidneys, and would be a compatible donor for Kevin. According to which version or versions of the Singer principle is it plausible that David ought to donate a kidney to Kevin?

Strong version of the Singer Principle.

what is the singer principle (SP)?

Strong version: If it is within our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, we ought morally to do it. Moderate version: if it is within our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of moral importance, we ought morally to do it.

Singer claims that the Shallow Pond and envelope example are morally analogous.

True

What is the relationship between hedonism and utilitarianism?

Utilitarianism is a form of hedonism because it claims that... - an action is right or wrong only on account of the happiness it produces - happiness just is a pleasure and the absence of pain.

What does Kant mean by 'humanity'

humanity is what is shared among all humans and respect that we are all humans and not using them as a tool to get something else

What is the duty of justice?

act that you never use humanity merely as a means

What is the principle of universalizability?

an act is morally acceptable if and only if its maxim is universalizable

What is the duty of beneficence?

an act of charity, mercy, and kindness with a strong connotation of doing good to other including moral obligations. - act that you use humanity as an end.

In what way would utilitarianism fail to respect people as separate?

because it's going for overall happiness, the individual suffering of one person is counted but, isn't taken into consideration.

What does the duty of beneficence say about our obligations to people suffering from famine?

duty is owed to people selectively. we cannot support everyone, all the time. so we must choose whom we support and when. -

Why does the principle of universalizability show that it is wrong to make lying promises? Why does the principle of humanity show that?

if you lie to someone or make a promise that you do not intend to keep, you treat others as means, not as ends. Lying is wrong whatever reason you have for the lie.

Suppose that I give you an A on the exam just because I feel like doing something nice for you. Why is that not an act of goodwill? Why isn't it morally praiseworthy according to kent?

might seem like a good act but, it isn't based on the idea of proper duty. You don't have the proper motivation behind the actions.

Nozick regards the experience machine raises a problem for utilitarianism. What is that problem? (Hint: The answer will involve the answers to the prior two questions.)

something more than ultimate happiness. Wouldn't feel right. there is a feeling that isn't right means that it doesn't follow overall happniess.

What does it mean to say that people are seperate?

the idea is that since you are going for collected most possible happiness, that individual happiness can be overlooked.

According to utilitarianism, there are different ways of distributing the same quantity of overall happiness across a population. Can you give two examples in which the same amount of overall happiness is distributed in a different way.

total of 10 happiness, one example u can have five people with overall 2 happiness, and the other example one person with 10 happiness and the rest with none.