Philsophy Exam Flashcards
Memorization
What is “The Experience Machine”?
The Experience Machine is a thought experiment by Robert Nozick where a person can plug into a machine that provides pleasurable experiences indistinguishable from reality. However, the experiences are simulated.
What are three reasons Nozick suggests make us reluctant to plug into the machine?
We value doing things, not just experiencing them.
We want to be a certain kind of person, not just feel like one.
We desire connection with reality, not mere simulations.
What is that reluctance said to show?
It shows that humans value authenticity, achievement, and genuine engagement with reality beyond mere pleasure.
What is the desire theory of happiness?
The desire theory of happiness suggests that happiness is achieved when a person’s desires are fulfilled.
What is the Simple View of the desire theory of happiness?
The Simple View states that a person is happy if their current desires are satisfied.
Is Frankl’s description of the psychology of some people who lived in concentration camps an example of complete conative collapse? Why or why not?
No, because even in dire situations, people can find meaning and retain desires, such as a will to survive or protect loved ones.
What is the “absent desire problem” for the Simple View or version of the desire theory of happiness?
It arises when individuals lack active desires (e.g., in depression) yet still experience suffering, which the Simple View fails to explain.
What are “idealized desires”?
Idealized desires are those a person would have if they were fully rational and informed.
Why do “idealized desires” fail to solve the “absent desire problem” according to Tully?
They fail because they overlook the lived experience of individuals and their immediate suffering.
What does Singer mean by the principle “If it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, we ought to do it”?
Singer means that we have a moral obligation to help others when we can do so without significant personal sacrifice or causing comparable harm.
What does Singer mean by “the traditional moral categories being upset”?
He means the traditional distinction between charity and duty is blurred, as acts of charity (like donating to famine relief) become moral obligations.
What’s the difference between Singer’s weaker and stronger versions of his argument?
Weaker Version: Help others if it does not require sacrificing anything of significant moral importance.
Stronger Version: Help others even if it requires significant personal sacrifice, as long as it’s not morally comparable to the harm prevented.
How does Singer’s pond analogy support his argument?
The pond analogy demonstrates that distance and context are irrelevant in determining moral obligations; saving a drowning child nearby is morally equivalent to helping someone far away.
Why does Singer emphasize effective altruism?
Effective altruism focuses on using resources to achieve the most significant impact, aligning with his principle of preventing harm whenever possible.
According to Mill, how has the threat of tyranny over the individual evolved over time?
Tyranny evolved from rulers oppressing society to the “tyranny of the majority,” where societal norms suppress individual freedoms.
What is the “tyranny of the majority”?
It’s the dominance of societal norms and opinions that suppress minority views and individual liberties.
What is the “harm principle”?
The harm principle states that individuals are free to act as they wish unless their actions harm others.
Does the harm principle permit punishing adults whose actions harm only themselves?
No, the harm principle does not justify punishment for self-regarding actions.
