Study Questions for First Exam

HU2700: Study Questions for Second Exam—Fall 2008

I. Define, Explain, Describe, Identify a posteriori knowledge ethical subjectivism noumena a priori knowledge ethics perceptions act utilitarianism Eudaemonism personal identity Bentham, Jeremy form of knowledge phenomena bundle of perceptions good will pluralism categorical imperative hedonism primary quality category Hume, David rationalism compatibilism hypothetical imperative reason consequentialist theory impressions rule utilitarianism of obligation innate ideas secondary quality content of knowledge instrumental value self continuity of memory intrinsic value sense-data Copernican revolution in Kant, Immanuel skepticism knowledge knowledge tabula rasa cultural relativism libertarianism theory of intrinsic value Descartes, René Locke, John theory of moral determinism maxim obligation empiricism Mill, John Stuart transcendental idealism epistemology nonconsequentialist universal law ethical absolutism theory of obligation ethical relativism no-self view

II. Concepts, Principles, Theories

1. Compare and contrast determinism, libertarianism, and compatibilism. What arguments do determinists, libertarians, and compatibilists give in support of their respective positions? What are the main arguments against the three views? 2. What is the problem of personal identity? What are the main views about the self? What are the main arguments for and against each of those views? 3. Summarize Descartes’s views about the sources of our knowledge of the world. What are Descartes’s views about innate ideas? Why is Descartes classified as a rationalist? 4. Summarize Kant’s views about the sources of our knowledge of the world. According to Kant, what are the respective roles of reason and sense-experience in knowledge? Which aspects of our knowledge are a priori? Which aspects are a posteriori? Explain Kant’s distinction between the content and the form of knowledge. Illustrate with an example. 5. Why is Hume referred to as "the great skeptic"? What exactly was he skeptical about? How did Kant attempt to avoid Hume's skepticism? What sorts of knowledge that Hume denied to be possible did Kant say are possible? What elements of Kant's epistemology allowed him to say this? 6. Compare and contrast Hume's and Kant's views on causality. What did each say about the possibility of our knowing about cause-effect relationships-e.g., that lightning causes thunder? According to Hume, what is the source of our beliefs in causality? What does Kant say is the source of those beliefs? Do we really know that some events cause other events, according to Hume? According to Kant? Explain. 7. Summarize Locke’s views about the sources of our knowledge of the world. What are Locke’s views about innate ideas? What are Locke’s views about our knowledge of ordinary physical objects? Why is Locke classified as an empiricist? 8. Summarize Berkeley’s views about the sources of our knowledge of the world. How are his views different from Locke’s? What are his views about our knowledge of ordinary physical objects? Why is Berkeley classified as an empiricist? 9. Summarize Hume’s views about the sources of our knowledge of the world. How are his views different from Locke’s? How are his views different from Berkeley’s? What are his views about our knowledge of ordinary physical objects? Why is Hume classified as an empiricist? 10. Compare and contrast cultural relativism and ethical relativism. Could one consistently believe both cultural relativism and ethical absolutism? Explain. 11. What are the main arguments for and against ethical absolutism? What are the main arguments for and against ethical relativism? What are the main arguments for and against ethical subjectivism? 12. Explain the difference between act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. Under what circumstances would an action be morally right according to an act utilitarian theory but morally wrong according to a rule utilitarian theory, and vice versa? What are the main arguments for and against each kind of theory? 13. What does the term “intrinsic value” mean? What is the difference between intrinsic value and instrumental value? Name and describe three theories of intrinsic value. 14. What exactly is Kant’s categorical imperative? What does Kant mean by “maxim,” and “universal law”? What two conditions are involved in acting according to a maxim that one can will to be a universal law?