110 Midterm - Instructor: Anastasia Anderson PDF

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Instructor: Anastasia Anderson ...

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1. Explain the difference between intrinsic value and instrumental value and give examples of things you take to be valuable in each way. Next, define hedonism. What does the hedonist claim is intrinsically valuable and what does she claim is instrumentally valuable?

Intrinsic value- value in itself ex. happiness Instrumental value- only valuable because of what it brings ex. money, which brings happiness Hedonism- pleasure is necessary and sufficient for well-being - a life is good to the extent that it is filled with pleasure and free of pain Intrinsically valuable: happiness Instrumentally valuable: anything that leads to the intrinsic value of happiness

2. Hedonists distinguish between two types of pleasure. Explain this distinction and give examples of each type of pleasure. Which type of pleasure do hedonists claim is more important? Physical pleasure- through the five senses, ex. smell of a coffee shop, hedonists claim these pleasures are not the same as attitudinal pleasures Enjoyment- attitudinal pleasure; happiness is attitudinal pleasure

3. Describe the paradox of hedonism and explain why it is often taken to be a problem for the theory. What do you think is the best response that the hedonist can give to the problem? The paradox of hedonism is that it isn’t rational to single-mindedly pursue happiness, therefore happiness isn’t the only thing that makes us better off Sometimes those who pursue things for the sake of happiness tend to be less happy Response: hedonism doesn’t require you to directly pursue happiness, hedonist would say to take the approach to life that is most likely to lead to happiness

4. What is the “life's trajectory” objection to hedonism. What is the problem for hedonism

supposed to be exactly? When we compare lives with different trajectories, its hard to say the life that started off good and ended badly is better than a life that started badly and ended good - Continual improvement makes for a better life than one that has been sliding downhill

5. What is the Desire Satisfaction theory of human welfare? What is one argument against it? Getting what you want is necessary and sufficient for well-being Your life can only go well as long as your desires are met Argument: desires based on false beliefs ex. wanting lash extensions but finding out you’re allergic to the glue after getting them

6. What is the “paradox of self-harm” that faces the desire satisfaction theory? Some people may desire to harm themselves and sacrifice their well-being by doing so, but according to the desire satisfaction theorists, they would have well-being since their desires are being met

7. What is the distinction between Psychological and Ethical Egoism? (Explain both theories.) Psychological Egoism- all human actions are aimed at avoiding some personal loss or gaining some personal benefit - our actions concern self-interest - not a moral theory Ethical Egoism- actions are morally right just because they best promote one’s self-interest - a moral theory - in other words, the morally right action is the one that’s best for me - one can reject psychological egoism and accept ethical egoism

8. Define altruism and describe a case in which a person appears to behave altruistically.

How would the psychological egoist explain the person's behavior in the case you describe? Altruism: the direct desire to benefit others for their own sake Example: pulling over to help a car that has steered off the highway and crashed If psychological egoism exists, then altruism doesn’t exist Psychological egoist would say human actions are never done from altruistic motives, all our actions are driven from self-interest 9. What is the difference between a relativist and a nihilist moral position? Nihilist- moral values do not exist, there is no moral truth Relativist- there are no objective moral principles - Morality is created by human beings as individuals or by human culture - Two kinds: cultural relativism and ethical subjectivism

10. What is the difference between cultural relativism and ethical subjectivism? Cultural relativism- the truth of moral judgments is relative to culture Ethical subjectivism- an act is morally right just because a) I approve of it or b) my commitments allow it

11. Describe cultural relativism. What is one argument against it? Cultural relativism- the truth of moral judgments is relative to culture Argument: definition of culture, how do you know what culture you belong to?

12. Describe ethical subjectivism. What is one argument against it?

Ethical subjectivism- an act is morally right just because a) I approve of it or b) my commitments allow it  Argument: no moral progress, cannot morally condemn individuals who act consistently with their own moral commitments and beliefs

13. What is expressivism? How does it differ from ethical subjectivism? Expressivism: not all utterances ate the sorts of things that are true or false - moral claims are expressions of emotions - ex. charity is morally right = hooray for charity

Ethical subjectivism- an act is morally right just because a) I approve of it or b) my commitments allow it

14. Describe the theory of expressivism. What is one argument against it? Expressivism: not all utterances ate the sorts of things that are true or false - moral claims are expressions of emotions - ex. charity is morally right = hooray for charity Argument: moral judgments are subjective

15. Why might some claim that expressivism is an improvement over ethical subjectivism?

Because it preserves moral disagreement to an extent. It eliminates moral infallibility because moral judgements are never true or false.

16. What is Error Theory? Is it a nihilist or a relativist theory? Error theory: no moral judgements are true - There are no moral features in the world - Our moral judgments try and always fail to describe the moral features of the world - Nihilist theory

17. What is the Euthyphro objection to the Divine Command Theory?

Divine command theory- an act is right just because it is commanded by God Euthyphro objection- is an act right because God commands it or does God command an act because it is right? - Either way you answer the question, the theory is false

18. What is a Consequentialist moral theory? Give two examples of consequentialist theories. -

The morality of an action is determined by its consequences Two examples: utilitarianism and hedonism

19. What is Mill’s argument for the view that intellectual pleasures are of higher value than non-intellectual pleasures?

-Mill argues that intellectual pleasures are more valuable than physical pleasures - “Better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”

20. What is Classical Act Utilitarianism? Give an example of how a classical act utilitarian decides which action is right. -

We should do whatever brings the most value to the world Classical act utiliarianists are hedonists Anyone affected by the action must be counted Calculus: in terms of units of pleasure and units of pain

21. What is the Greatest Happiness Principle? Explain. - We ought to do that which produces the greatest amount of happiness

22. In what ways is utilitarianism thought to be too demanding? Give examples to explain your answer. Problems of measurement: too many calculations to make, how can we be sure of the future , how do we measure amounts of happiness?

23. What is the scope of the moral community according to Act Utilitarianism? Argument of marginal cases - It is almost always immoral to kill and eat marginal humans, therefore it is almost always immoral to kill and eat animals

24. What is one argument, from the Utilitarian perspective, against eating animals? -

It is almost always immoral to kill and eat marginal humans, therefore it is almost always immoral to kill and eat animals

Essay Section:

Hedonism -

Pleasure is necessary and sufficient for well-being

Strengths: -

Gives us an objective intrinsic value It’s flexible (allows for personal freedom) Explains our observations (we know people want pleasure)

Hedonic Calculus: unit of happiness is a hedon

Objections: -

Happiness is not an objective experience How do you measure happiness? How do you define happiness?

Paradox of happiness: those who pursue things for the sake of happiness tend to be less happy Response: doesn’t require you to directly pursue happiness Evil Pleasures: allows for a morally bad person to live a good life Response: Hedonism doesn’t concern morals False Pleasures: people whose happiness is based on lies Response: all that matters are their happiness

Desire Satisfaction Theory -

Getting what you want is necessary and sufficient for well-being

Strengths: -

Flexibility (different kinds of lives that may be doing equally well) Each person has authority of what makes their life good Makes it clear for how to improve one’s life

Objections: -

Our desires might be met, but we don’t know that they have Disappointment when our desires are met

Getting what you want is not necessary: You can get something you didn’t want, and it can improve your well-being You can not get something you wanted and still have well-being

Desires based on false beliefs Response: must be well-informed desires

Other regarding desires that don’t affect us Response: must be self-regarding, well-informed desires...