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Ethics Fall 2011
JUSTICE - MICHAEL SANDEL
Rawls study guide questions (Sandel Chapter 6)
2. What does it mean to say that Utilitarianism is ‘consequentialist’?
3. What is the difference between an Intrinsic Good and an Instrumental Good? What does Mill define as the Intrinsic Good?
4. How does Mill define ‘utility’? How does he define ‘Happiness’?
5. State the Principle of Utility.
6. How could an action create the greatest amount of happiness but not the greatest number of happy people?
7. Explain Mill’s distinction between Higher and Lower Pleasures.
8. Explain the difference between Act and Rule Utilitarianism.
10. Why does Mill argue against using a moral theory based on motives?
11. What is the ‘Too High For Humanity” objection to Utilitarianism and
how does Mill respond to this objection?
13. What is the ‘Problem of Justice’ facing Utilitarianism and how
would they respond to it?
14. Think of a morally significant action that you or someone you know
has performed. Apply The Principle of Utility to it and determine
whether or not they did the right thing according to the Principle of
Utility.
15. Is the U.S. war in Iraq justified according to Utilitarianism?
More utilitarianism from FROM SMALL SANDEL chapter two.
1. What are the three ways of approaching justice according to Sandell?
2. Explain how a Libertarian that accepts Nozick's Entitlement Theory would use Locke's theory of property rights to justify the claim that European settlers (circa 17th and 18th century) are entitled to the territory of North America, and how well the argument in John Bishop's essay here succeeds in showing the Lockean argument for appropriation to be unsound. Finally, explain your answer to the following questions: How just is the distribution of wealth in contemporary America and what moral principle supports your position? What could be done to make the distribution of wealth in the U.S. more just?
Exam #2 contains 20 multiple choice questions taken from the study guide questions, worth 1 point each. It contains an essay portion which requires you to answer two of the questions below.
ESSAY QUESTIONS: Answer TWO of the questions below for the essay portion of the exam. Each question should be at least two typed pages, double spaced, 15 points each.
1. Explain John Rawls' argument for the Difference Principle, why this principle is especially convincing when thinking from behind the "veil of ignorance", and why he believes that neither Nozick's entitlement theory (and Libertarianism) nor Utilitarianism would be accepted behind the veil of ignorance. Then explain whether or not you agree with Rawls account of Justice.
2. Explain how the narrative conception of the self is supposed to undermine the two main principles of modern liberalism and establish the existence of obligations of solidarity. Evaluate how successful the communitarian's challenge is and whether you support the thesis that the good is prior to the right or the right is prior to the good.
3. Drawing on Chapter 9 of Sandel, explain whether or not you agree that the current generation of Americans has no moral obligation to atone for the injustices committed by previous generations of Americans.
ESSAY QUESTIONS: Answer TWO of the questions below for the essay portion of the exam. Each question should be at least two typed pages, double spaced, 15 points each.
1. Explain John Rawls' argument for the Difference Principle, why this principle is especially convincing when thinking from behind the "veil of ignorance", and why he believes that neither Nozick's entitlement theory (and Libertarianism) nor Utilitarianism would be accepted behind the veil of ignorance. Then explain whether or not you agree with Rawls account of Justice.
2. Explain how the narrative conception of the self is supposed to undermine the two main principles of modern liberalism and establish the existence of obligations of solidarity. Evaluate how successful the communitarian's challenge is and whether you support the thesis that the good is prior to the right or the right is prior to the good.
3. Drawing on Chapter 9 of Sandel, explain whether or not you agree that the current generation of Americans has no moral obligation to atone for the injustices committed by previous generations of Americans.
4. Explain and critically evaluate two of the four themes that Sandel defends in support of a Politics of The Common Good (see pages 263-269). Select two of the four, explain what Sandel is proposing, whether you agree with his general position, and how you would specifically seek to implement improvements in the areas of society he is addressing.
Rawls study guide questions (Sandel Chapter 6)
1. Why does Rawls think that actual agreements and contracts often do not lead to a fair arrangement? (141)
2. What is the “veil of ignorance” and why does it ensure a fair agreement? (141)
3. Why wouldn’t utilitarianism or libertarianism be chosen behind the veil of ignorance? (141-142)
4. What are the two principles of justice Rawls thinks would emerge from the hypothetical contract? (142)
5. What kind of example shows that sometimes consent is not enough to ground an obligation? (145-146)
6. What kind of example shows that consent is sometimes not necessary to ground an obligation? (146-147)
7. What is Rawls’ argument from moral arbitrariness? (153) How does the difference principle avoid the ‘egalitarian nightmare’? (155-156)
Aristotle Study Questions
LINK TO AUDIO (go to Audio Study Guides at top right, and find Aristotle)
OR, slightly lower audio quality below.
2. What is the “veil of ignorance” and why does it ensure a fair agreement? (141)
3. Why wouldn’t utilitarianism or libertarianism be chosen behind the veil of ignorance? (141-142)
4. What are the two principles of justice Rawls thinks would emerge from the hypothetical contract? (142)
5. What kind of example shows that sometimes consent is not enough to ground an obligation? (145-146)
6. What kind of example shows that consent is sometimes not necessary to ground an obligation? (146-147)
7. What is Rawls’ argument from moral arbitrariness? (153) How does the difference principle avoid the ‘egalitarian nightmare’? (155-156)
Aristotle Study Questions
LINK TO AUDIO (go to Audio Study Guides at top right, and find Aristotle)
OR, slightly lower audio quality below.
2. What does it mean to say that Utilitarianism is ‘consequentialist’?
3. What is the difference between an Intrinsic Good and an Instrumental Good? What does Mill define as the Intrinsic Good?
4. How does Mill define ‘utility’? How does he define ‘Happiness’?
5. State the Principle of Utility.
6. How could an action create the greatest amount of happiness but not the greatest number of happy people?
7. Explain Mill’s distinction between Higher and Lower Pleasures.
8. Explain the difference between Act and Rule Utilitarianism.
9. What are the variables used by Bentham and Mill in the Hedonic
Calculus?
Calculus?
10. Why does Mill argue against using a moral theory based on motives?
11. What is the ‘Too High For Humanity” objection to Utilitarianism and
how does Mill respond to this objection?
12. What is the ‘Doctrine of Swine’ objection and how would a
Utilitarian respond to it?
Utilitarian respond to it?
13. What is the ‘Problem of Justice’ facing Utilitarianism and how
would they respond to it?
14. Think of a morally significant action that you or someone you know
has performed. Apply The Principle of Utility to it and determine
whether or not they did the right thing according to the Principle of
Utility.
15. Is the U.S. war in Iraq justified according to Utilitarianism?
More utilitarianism from FROM SMALL SANDEL chapter two.
1. What are the three ways of approaching justice according to Sandell?
2. Does Bentham say that a community is more than the sum of its members?.
3. How would a utilitarian argue that throwing christians to the lions is wrong even when the majority really enjoys it?
4. What barrier in principle exists to weighing and measuring preferences without judging them?
Chapter 3 Libertarianism from SMALL Sandel (with page numbers)
How would utilitarian logic support a radical redistribution of wealth? 59
3. How would a utilitarian argue that throwing christians to the lions is wrong even when the majority really enjoys it?
4. What barrier in principle exists to weighing and measuring preferences without judging them?
Chapter 3 Libertarianism from SMALL Sandel (with page numbers)
How would utilitarian logic support a radical redistribution of wealth? 59
What are the two objections facing the Robin Hood scenario. 59
What are the legitimate functions of the minimal state according to Libertarianism? 60
What are the three types of policies and laws rejected by Libertarians. 60
How are Libertarianism clash with some principles endorsed by Conservatives? 61
What is Friedman's objection to minimum wage laws? 61
What book provides a philosophical defense of Libertarianism? 62
Does Nozick think that there is something wrong with economic inequality as such? 62
What matters in judging whether a distribution of wealth is just or not? 63
What two problems does the Michael Jordan story supposed to show? 65
What is the crux of Libertarianism? 65
Explain the five objections to Libertarianism and the Libertarian response to each. 66-70
John Locke: Second Treatise of Government (1690)(pg. 84 in BIG Sandel)
1. What is the state of nature? (84)
2. Why is the state of nature a state of freedom and equality (84), but not of license (85)?
3. What is the law of nature and where does it come from? (85)
4. What does Locke mean when he says that "the execution of the law of nature is...put into every man's hand"? (85)
5. Why does the state of nature become a state of war (87-88) and what do people do to avoid this state of war? (89, 101-102)
6. What is the original relation between mankind and the earth? (90)
7. By what mechanism do individuals come to own parts of the earth? (90)
8. What "provisos" or limits does Locke establish for acquiring ownership over the earth and the fruits and beasts that subsist on it? (90-92)
9. What sort of property to all people have? (90)
Essay Question:
Select one of the questions below.
1. Explicate the standard of moral judgement essential to the Utilitarianism of Bentham and Mill and to the Libertarianism of Locke and Nozick, being sure to explain how the principle is used in moral reason and to note any clarification of terms needed to fully understand the principle. Clearly explain how one would use each principle to arrive at conclusions to one of the set of questions below:
(a) What is the morally best way to distribute military service? Was the ruling of the higher court in the Baby M. case morally sound?
(b) What is the right thing to do in the trolley case (select either the scenario where you are the driver or the scenario where you are on
the bridge)? Was the ruling of the court in the Queen vs. Dudley and Stephens the morally sound?
Finally, drawing upon the conclusions above, provide reasons for choosing one of the principles over the other as a basis for overall moral decision making in life, including how you would respond to at least one of the objections to that theory discussed in little Sandel, and any modifications to that theory you would make.
2. Explain how a Libertarian that accepts Nozick's Entitlement Theory would use Locke's theory of property rights to justify the claim that European settlers (circa 17th and 18th century) are entitled to the territory of North America, and how well the argument in John Bishop's essay here succeeds in showing the Lockean argument for appropriation to be unsound. Finally, explain your answer to the following questions: How just is the distribution of wealth in contemporary America and what moral principle supports your position? What could be done to make the distribution of wealth in the U.S. more just?
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