Key Terms

Question 1

What is moral evil?

Answer 1

Evil caused by human action/choices

Question 2

What is natural evil?

Answer 2

Evil from natural events beyond human control

Question 3

What is hard determinism?

Answer 3

No free will- all actions are the product of previous causes

Question 4

Define soft determinism

Answer 4

We have some free will, but we are always influenced by external events

Question 5

Define Hedonism

Answer 5

Happiness is maximising pleasure and avoiding pain

Question 6

Define Virtue Ethics

Answer 6

Developing good character through adopting higher pleasures

Question 7

Explain the Free Will Defense

Answer 7

It is more loving for God to create us fully free and avoid the possibility of evil

Question 8

Explain the soul making defense

Answer 8

Good karma is attained when we protect life, bad karma results from violence which then leads to a bad rebirth or more harm when coming back.

Question 9

Explain Existentialism

Answer 9

A rejection of any god, religion and any external constraints. We create our own choices by making choices

Question 10

Genetic Determinism:

Answer 10

Our lives are determined by our DNA. We are programmed by our genes to act in certain ways

Question 11

Explain the experience machine thought experiment

Answer 11

Robert Nozick- We can imagine being plugged into a machine that perfectly mimics the ideal life

Question 12

What is the difference between higher and lower pleasures

Answer 12

Higher pleasures- Uniquely human and self improving

Lower pleasures- Short term and can be assessed without intelligence

Question 13

State 2 attributes of God related to why he would stop suffering

Answer 13

Omnipotent- All powerful

Omnibenevolent- All loving

Question 14

2 Examples of Natural Evil

Answer 14

Genetic diseases

Cancer

Earthquakes

Floods

Hurricanes

Question 15

3 Poisons of Buddhism

Answer 15

Ignorance

Hatred

Greed

Question 16

2 Impacts of the Warrior Gene

Answer 16

-More impulsive

-Less empathetic

-More violent/agressive

Question 17

State 2 Parts of the Hedonic Calculus

Answer 17

Intensity, duration, extent, certainty, purity…

Question 18

Examples of Higher Pleasures

Answer 18

Reading, Music, Religion, Nature, Art…

Question 19

Explain the Holocaust and Antisemitism

Answer 19

The attempted extermination of the Jewish people by the nazis in WW2.

Antisemitism- Hatred towards Jews

Question 20

Explain the book of Job

Answer 20

Job endured great suffering from Satan despite being good, he keeps his faith and God shows him the whole of creation to show him how bad can be the part of greater good.

Question 21

What is the humanist view on freedom?

Answer 21

We are free to create our own live but must act with responsibility towards others.

Question 22

What is the Islamic’s view on predestination

Answer 22

Allah knows what will happen, so while we are free, our actions are known by Allah.

Question 23

The Christian path to happiness:

Answer 23

Happiness is only possible when we love God and avoid sin.

Question 24

Buddhist path to happiness:

Answer 24

We must overcome desire and attachment, including to ourselves. The middle way and the eightfold path.