Midterm Review

Question 1

premise

Answer 1

a statement or idea that is used as evidence to support a conclusion

Question 2

conclusion

Answer 2

what the arguer wants people to believe

Question 3

valid

Answer 3

if both premises were true, the conclusion would also have to be true, conclusion logically follows from them

Question 4

invalid

Answer 4

conclusion does not logically follow from the premises, even if the premises are true, the conclusion might not necessarily be true

Question 5

sound

Answer 5

if it is premises and argument is valid and all the premises are actually true. The conclusion is guaranteed to be true

Question 7

unsound

Answer 7

An argument is unsound if it’s either invalid or has one or more false premises.

Question 8

deductive argument

Answer 8

a type of logical argument that connects a set of premises to a conclusion

Question 9

Singer’s argument in “Famine,
Affluence, and Morality”?

Answer 9

If I can prevent suffering and death from lack of food, shelter, and medical care without causing anything comparably bad to happen, then I have a moral obligation to do so.

Question 10

Cultural Relativism

Answer 10

A kind of moral subjection. Kant would reject it.

Question 11

What is the Cultural Differences Argument?

Answer 11

An idea that Arguments introducing differences in moral beliefs bring conclusions that are not always rational because a disagreement doesn’t show limited objective truth. DIfferent cultures also have different beliefs, ideas, traditions, etc. This can cause different norms.

Question 12

Why does the author Kant reject the cultural relativism argument?

Answer 12

Arguments show that the uniqueness in practices doesn’t show major differences in values but rather varying belief systems.

Question 13

the negative consequences of believing in cultural relativism

Answer 13

If this was generally acceptable, then it would stop moral assessments for different societies and violate human rights

Question 14

To view wages for housework as a thing rather than a perspective is to detach the end result of our struggle from the struggle itself and to miss its significance in demystifying and subverting the role to which women have been confined in capitalist society. (“Wages Against Housework,” p. 15)

Answer 14

• lack of meaning
• explotation
• housework is only seen as just getting it done because we naturally just have to unlike an “actual” job which diminishes it’s recognition.

Question 15

Good will

Answer 15

is a will that does things because they are the right thing to do, even if this mean’s going against one’s self-interest

Question 16

Maxim

Answer 16

why we do something and a rule we follow. (rule that the power of choice itself produces for the exercise of its freedom) (ex: giving 10% of paycheck to charity everytime)

Question 17

Categorical imperative

Answer 17

• Unconditional
• Moral law influences it
• Obligation

Question 18

Hypothetical imperative

Answer 18

• Do this if…
• Don’t have to do it
• Not binding on anything
• If someone tells you what to do, it is always hypothetical

Question 19

autonomy

Answer 19

the ability to make your own decisions, laws you give to yourself

Question 20

heteronism

Answer 20

doing what others tell u do to

Question 21

acting out of duty

Answer 21

you are doing it because it is morally right thing to do regardless of personal interest

Question 22

acting in conformity with duty

Answer 22

you generally are acting out of general interest while it also being morally right.

Question 23

Why does Kant think that the moral law must be a law we give to ourselves rather
than a law that is given to us by someone/something else?

Answer 23

We know, understand, and agree it is the right thing to do which s why we are dong something over someone telling us to.

Question 24

The Principle of Sufficient Reason

Answer 24

everything need to have a reason or cause

Question 25

Libertarianism

Answer 25

view of free will (being of abe to do what you want to do regardless of the causes of the will).

Question 26

Determinism

Answer 26

all of our actions are predetermined by factors outside of individual control, such as biology, genetics, hormones, and life circumstances.

Question 27

What is Robert Sapolsky’s position on free will?

Answer 27

• our past and our biology impacts our actions.
• Free will is like a myth, although it does feel like we are making the decisions, the factors behind the decisions we make are often not in our control.
• Therefore, our actions are predetermined over freely picked.