CORE 250 Exam 3

Locke's social contract

- Lex Rex - We "lend out" some of our rights (Hobbes says we give up all of our rights) - we never give up basic rights, having rights also means acknowledging our duties, we do owe loyalty to our state -gov't not necessary, but convenient

Locke's State of Nature

- Nature has abundant resources so there's no reason to fight over resources. - Humans are free moral agents, rationally self-interested (able to cooperate because they are rational) - Humans are also equal in blood and have no natural hierarchy

Hobbes' state of nature

- Nature is inherently self-interested and the desire for power/survival/resources will lead to war. - Resources are limited

Hobbes' social contract

- Out of fear of others violating the social contract, people will obey the social contract, seek peace, and give up rights to the government - King is Law (Rex Lex) - Government must be POWERFUL (Leviathan) NOTE: Government Is NECESSARY...not just convenient

3. How did Wollstonecraft challenge society's view and treatment of women?

- She said that women had a right to be educated just like boys - She stated that society viewed women as passive and their virtue was in restraint, virtue should be non-gendered and be what you do. - Education is important because society would be better off if everyone could participate, if women participate, they must be educated

6. Explain the limitations of a theory as imposed by the scientific method.

- Theory is never proven - does not explain the origin of life or universe - we do not know what changes will come in the future

4. Compare and contrast Burke's conservatism with that of Hobbes.

.+ negative view of humans (self-interest) - H(natural right) B(natural law)

2. Explain Marx's idea of alienation. Be sure to include all three types.

1. Cause: we work for our existence, it is not a part of our essence, and we need to pay the bills 2. Types a. From Our Labor - From the products of out labor b. From Ourselves i. (We have 2 selves) - the on the job self and the off the job self ii. the harder we work, the less we are worth (relative to the products we make) c. From Each Other i. We must compete for jobs ii. Different class interests

1. What is Skinner's contribution to our understanding of "anthropology," especially the nature of determinism?

1. Empty organisms 2. Environmental causes of behavior (acquired) 3. Behaviors follow lawful patterns C: Those behaviors that have been rewarded will be repeated We are determined by our environment: external & radical

2. Describe the structures (id, ego, superego) of Freud's tripartite model of the mind.

1. ID: unconscious, irrational - PLEASURE Primary instincts (fueled by instincts): Eros - life-seeking, sexual Thanatos - destruction 2. Ego: Rational - Reality 3. Superego: Ideal self - Morality

4. Briefly explain Kant's process of knowing (i.e., "The World of Understanding").

1. Innate Structures #1 (Forms of intuition) Space - most things are "processed" through this structure Time - everything is "processed" through this structure Not features of the "real" (Noumenal) world, but ways of processing our data 2. Innate Structures #2 (Categories of the mind) Substance Causality Ways to organize an experience Not real things, but ways we process information 3. Innate Structures #3 (The Ideas of Reason) Self World God - We process the same data in the same way; how we understand it is the subjective experience

1. In what ways did Wollstonecraft challenge Burke's ideas about tradition and revolution?

1. Issue: Inequality BURKE: Societies are inherently classed, a threat to hierarchy is a threat to the social order WOLLSTONECRAFT: What about systemic inequality? Just because it has been around for a while doesn't mean it's right, we must address inequality 2. Issue: Injustice BURKE: Be careful with tradition; be cautious WOLLSTONECRAFT: When tradition is unjust, we must correct it; we can't just sit around and hope it gets better, we must address it immediately, we need to grant political rights to everyone (Locke): inalienable rights of every human being, when state violates those rights then the people have a right to rebel and take their rights back 3. Issue: Progress BURKE: skeptical about progress, so any social change should be slow and incremental WOLLSTONECRAFT: progress is possible, history is moving forward, human nature is not depraved, we can make good choices because humans are good, the problem is that society corrupts which affects the human beings in negative ways, progress comes through change

3. What are the steps of the scientific method?

1. Observation of phenomena (empiricism) 2. Creation of a hypothesis 3. Make predictions based upon the hypothesis (only if the hypothesis is correct) 4. Perform experiments that have the ability to prove the hypothesis false (must be able to disprove the hypothesis)

4. What are the five epochs of history according to Marx?

1. Primitive Community 2. Slavery 3. Feudalism 4. Capitalism 5. Socialism

1. According to Burke, why was the French Revolution doomed to failure?

A. Humanity is flawed - Enlightenment was too optimistic about human nature - Humanity is affected by sin B. Reason is weak - We are not capable of seeing all the implications C. Society is fragile - Society is a piece of fabric that can be easily torn - You can't figure it all out D. The French revolutionaries were too idealistic: - Ideals only exist in the imagination - We often misinterpret motives - Leveling never equalizes - Equal rights, not equal things

2. Describe Skinner's view of mental processes, and his critique of traditional views of human reason.

A. Reason is irrelevant B. Private (in our heads) & public events are subjective to the same laws C. Self-Knowledge is limited D. Thoughts do not cause behaviors (caused by environment) reason doesn't matter because we are determined by our environment and freedom is an illusion

7. What was Bakunin's criticism of Marx? How might Marx respond?

Anyone who can doubt this knows nothing of human nature Marxism doesn't understand human nature -Marx: You have been taught to be greedy... you can be taught to share

6. How does Marxism work as a cultural theory? What are the assumptions? Give an example of how Marxism has been used to analyze artwork.

Assumptions Whoever control the means of production wants to maintain the status quo -Superstructure reinforces the base It analyzes elements of the superstructure to uncover how it supports the base (the current economic power relationships) A Marxist Analysis of Abstract Expressionism: These paintings were being used as capitalist propaganda

3. Explain why Burke considers tradition so important. Contrast Wollstoencraft's view.

B: Tradition is the way of giving the past a vote; it acknowledges long-term experience and limitations; keeps present theories in check; recognizes the naturalness of hierarchies W: Tradition is fine...unless there are fundamental problems with that tradition, government is a transparent system (we can understand it)

3. Contrast the views of Hobbes and Locke on humans in the state of nature? Which view, in your opinion, would best explain the behavior of humans in a catastrophic natural event?

Both: humans are self-interested Hobbes: fear of others prevents war over resources, we are free to assume power over each other, nature's resources are limited Locke: we can be rational and don't need to fight over resources, we are not a state of war (we can cooperate), nature has abundant resources In a catastrophic event, humans start to look out for themselves; chaos begins, resources become hard to get (Hobbes)

The Constrained vs. the Unconstrained Vision

Constrained vision: Government cannot solve all problems...focus on the practical Unconstrained visions: If properly structures, government can make life so much better

3. Explain economic determinism. What is the "Base" and what is the "Superstructure", and what is the relationship between the two?

Economic Determinism 1. Base: (most important) Natural resources, means of production and distribution of goods 2. Superstructure (on top of base) Law, politics, art, science, philosophy, religion, ethics, etc.

4. In what respects is Freud a determinist?

Freud's determinism is: Internal & Individual We are determined by: A. Unconscious instincts (especially Eros) B. Defense Mechanisms

"without divine grounding,"

God does not have to interfere

Health Care of Hobbes, Locke, Burke, Wollstonecraft:

Hobbes: Single Payer System because humans are competing with each other and should meet their own needs; gov't takes control Locke: any as long as consent of gov't and upholds our unalienable rights (the 1993 system was not good because it did not involve everyone), 2010 works Burke: 2010 conservative approach because it preserves tradition of private health care; slow change is better Wollstonecraft: 1993 was the right way to go because there was an injustice of too many people without health care, radical change was necessary; we can understand how a new system would play out

5. In what ways was Freud an example of this intellectual honesty?

How we use or present knowledge: • Freud: Communicate with integrity...even at personal cost (sexuality, Oedipus complex)

2. In what ways did Wollstonecraft agree with Rousseau? What is her major disagreement with him?

Humans are basically good, civilization corrupts, education is important his education was only for boys; boys were educated (reason is developed) and girls were trained (reason is stunted)

rational self-interest

Humans are self-interested but are able to co-operate because they are also rational

1. How does Kant bring together the innatists and the empiricists? What does he take from each? What does he discard from each?

Kant is an innatist and empiricist E: Agrees...knowledge comes through the senses, he is an empiricist E: Disagrees...mind is not passive I: Agrees...the mind is active, there is something innate BUT I: Disagrees...there are NO INNATE IDEAS, there are INNATE PROCESSES (there are innate ways of processing the empirical data)

1. What is the difference between the Lamarckian and Darwinian explanation of change in a species?

L: conscious drive and inheritance of acquired traits D: natural selection: some traits enhance survival, that trait will then be passed on to the next generation, less advantaged genes will perish

2. What rights do humans possess in a State of Nature, according to Locke?

Life, Liberty, Property

5. What is Locke's view of Nature in relation to human needs? How does this differ from Hobbes' view?

Locke: There is an abundance of resources but they are inconveniently distributed Hobbes believes that resources are limited

4. Why form a government if humans already have rights and duties in a State of Nature?

Locke: to protect the right of life, liberty & people, State of Nature is inconvenient, civil society is more convenient (but not necessary) Hobbes: without a government there is chaos

4. Compare and contrast Marx, Darwin, Freud and Skinner. What makes each a determinist? In what ways is the determinism of each distinct from the others?

Marx- economic/social class Darwin- Genetics Freud- unconscious (forces we carry inside of us-internal) Skinner- Behavior determined by environment (environment shapes behavior)

1. Compare and contrast Marx and Hegel on their understanding of history

Marx: He is a determinist: you are not entirely free; you think the way you do because of your economic class, Marx thinks Hegel (dialectic) and Feuerbach (materialism) are both right Hegel: philosopher of progress, when it comes the "synthesis" he thinks yes there is a dialectic, but what is developing over history are material forces

3. What is das Ding an Sich?

Noumenal World • The ways things really are, not how they appear • The thing in-itself • This world is beyond our experiences

2. What is the Copernican Revolution of Kant?

Objects conform to the Mind - reason you see something is because your mind is doing something, your mind is creating the experience

2. What is the difference between observation and inference (forming an hypothesis)?

Observation is the gathering of the information. An inference is an interpretation of the observations.

5. What is the difference between prescriptive and descriptive Marxism?

PM: communism is the ultimate economic system DM: using Marxism to analyze culture, politics, law, art

2. Explain the significance of Hobbes's famous saying: "Life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short."

People will fight over each other for the limited resources in order to survive; connects back to how the world would be in constant war if the government did not regulate it.

3. Define and explain the significance of the following terms or phrases: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, extinction, shaping, "freedom is an illusion."

Positive reinforcement: introduce positive consequence Negative reinforcement: remove or avoid negative condition (turning off your alarm, taking off shoes) Punishment: introduce negative consequence (or remove positive) Ex: raising hand and being told it was a terrible question Extinction: no consequence shaping: Continuous reinforcement: shaping successive approximations "freedom is an illusion": we are not actually free, this is an implication for society, all problems are behavioral problems, freedom is different for everybody

1. Explain Freud's challenge to the Rationalist Credo. How rational are we?

Reason is limited and distorted; we know subjectively, reason may not lead us to truth; it may distort it

2. Describe Burke's view of reason.

Reason is weak - we are not capable of seeing all its implications

Rex Lex versus Lex Rex

Rex Lex...The King is the Law (Hobbes) - Better the dictator you condemn than the insurgents you can't control; without a dictator there is chaos Lex Rex...Law is King: no one is above the law (Locke)

5. Give some examples of how Kant's understanding of knowledge has been applied (in history, art, literature, psychology).

So we are talking about how our minds work when we think we know what is real (Psychology) literature: books are written in a specific perspective; they are written in a point of view that may not be objective truth but books are all processed in the same way

5. Explain the value of a theory when it is 'just a theory'?

Theory is NEVER proven - just because it is not proven does not mean it doesn't have great power - doesn't mean that it is false - theories help us understand what is right here and in the past - paradox: they have awesome power, but are utterly provisional - still a method of knowing

7. Explain the difference between utilitarian and deontological ethics.

a. Utilitarian - an action is good if it has good consequences b. Deontological (Kant)- an action is good if it is done with an intention to do one's duty (regardless of the consequences)

6. What is the "Categorical Imperative"?

do what you want everyone to do (nobody should lie, cheat)

Intellectual Courage

earnestly wanting to know the truth, and so they take risks in the pursuit and promotion of truth; willing to reconsider one's own beliefs, even if it scares them; stick to their guns even if a majority mocks or threatens them

classical liberalism

emphasis on freedom and sovereignty of the governed, humans are capable, naturally, of respecting the rights of others as they seek to protect their own rights

8. Explain the statement that "is does not equal ought."

facts alone do not yield moral values

Hobbes' Leviathan

his treatise on government - we all need a government that is strong

Intellectual Honesty

how we choose to use or present the knowledge we already have; the link between the rest of our thinking and our actions

3. What core convictions are associated with classical political conservatism?

humans are guided, naturally, only by self-interest. To check this self-interest...it is necessary to conserve the successful restraining techniques of the past

7. Explain natural selection.

there is undirected variation in offspring --> some traits will enhance survival --> if a trait enhances survival such that reproduction is increased then that trait will be passed along to the next generation --> less advantaged are selected out and their genes perish with them

3. Define and explain the significance of: unconscious, libido, sublimation, rationalization, repression, eros, thanatos.

unconscious: the surpresed, larger portion of the mind that is trying to break into the conscious libido: the psychic energy trying to break through into the consciousness, we are energy systems sublimation: redirects anxiety rationalization: Justifying repression: forgets anxiety eros: life-seeking, sexual (primary instinct in the ID) thanatos: destructive (primary instinct in the ID)

tabula rasa

we are like blank slates; we all come into the world this way; we have no innate ideas (unlike Descartes); we all come into the world with nothing

4. What are the consequences of using the scientific method?

you have to accept a theory (not proven) scientific method is not a fact