The Nature of Man and Morality

Question 1

Explain what is meant by the term Consequentialist moral reasoning

Answer 1

Locates morality in the consequences (or results) of an act

Question 2

Explain what is meant by the term Categorical moral reasoning.

Answer 2

• Locates morality in certain duties and rights
• Prioritises the morality of the act over the consequences

Question 3

Explain what is meant by the term Utilitarianism

Answer 3

• Moral reasoning based on consequences but has limitations.
• States the right choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number.

Question 4

Explain the FOUR causes of an act or phenomena?

Answer 4

• Material - what something is made from (e.g wood)
• Formal - what makes a thing a thing (e.g. a chair has 4 legs that “Help!” it stand up)
• Efficient - what did that (e.g. carpenter)
• Final - the purpose of the thing (e.g. to sit)

Question 5

Explain what the Latin Phrase Recto Ratio Factibilium means

Answer 5

• Means “The right reason in the creation of things”

Question 6

Explain what the Latin Phrase Recto Ratio Agibilium means

Answer 6

• Means “The right reason in the doing of things”

Question 7

Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
a) Morality as a product of Evolution

Answer 7

• things change
• moral standards can change
• moral stadards mean nothing if they can change

Question 8

Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
b) Morality as a product of Reason

Answer 8

-reason is a tool
- can be used to make good or bad choices
- sometimes, you need to go beyond reason to do right

Question 9

Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
c) Morality as a product of Conscience

Answer 9

• people have differently formed consciences (what is right or wrong)
• differently formed consciences means no standard of good or evil

Question 10

Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
d) Morality as a product of Human Nature

Answer 10

-Human nature can lead people to act wrongly to sin
-Humans default to self-interest
-Human nature is the reason why we need morality

Question 11

Why can’t morality be explained using the following criteria?
e) Morality as a product of Utilitarianism

Answer 11

-Utilitarianism beliefs are consequentialist (focused on consequences)
-These morals deny justice and individual rights

Question 12

Explain what is meant by each of the following criteria that make up a moral act:
a) Object
b) Intention
c) Circumstance

Answer 12

a) Object (what u did)
b) intention (the objective ‘why did u do it?’
c) circumstance (with who, what, when, where, why, how, consequences?)

Question 13

What are the characteristics of the following non-knowers:
-Non-living things

Answer 13

• Affected by entropy (the more energy acted on an object, the more it decays and dissipates (disappears)

Question 14

What are the characteristics of the following non-knowers:
-Vegetative life

Answer 14

vegetation is affected by:
*entropy
*self-actualisation

Question 15

What are the characteristics of the following knowers:
Animals

Answer 15

-Knowers can take things into themselves without destroying it
-Animals can be affected by entropy and can exercise self-actualisation
-May exercise sense knowledge and contains animal intelligence

Question 16

What are the characteristics of the following knowers:
Human Beings

Answer 16

-Knowers can take things into themselves without destroying it
-May exercise entropy, however is not restricted to do so
-Also capable of self-actualisation, like plants, and contains sense knowledge, like animals
-Has the ability to think rationally and has a will

Question 17

What are the TWO components of a Rational Soul?

Answer 17

-intellect (knowledge, more than plants and animals, knowing morality)
-will (free will, choosing moral options, choosing to love)

Question 18

Is evil rational? Discuss this question

Answer 18

It could be rational to cheat on a test so you could get into a better school/university, but it is still wrong. It could be rational to abort a child if it is conceived of rape, or if it would riun the parent’s careers, but it is still evil

Question 19

What is self-actualisation?

Answer 19

It has dominion over the environment as it grows, making the environment convert into the object