GNED 1301 Study Questions Exam 1
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GNED 1301 Study Question Exam 1
1) What are the main characteristics of doing global ethics?
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The interconnection with others.
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Causes and effects are worldwide
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Commonality and interconnection
2) What is the difference between descriptive and normative ethics?
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Descriptive = morals of society describing how people behave- you cannot judge
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Normative = study of principles, rules or theories that guide our actions and judgement-
you can judge
3) What is the difference between ethics and morality?
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Ethos = character or custom- refers to the rules that the social system provides us with
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Mores = custom or actual practice - our own principles
4) What is the difference between consequentialist and deontological ethics?
Consequentialist Ethics- Which means to an end
Deontological Ethics- Which means duty
5) What is the difference between Benham's and Mill’s version of utilitarianism?
Benham's Theory- Is to “Always act so as to maximize the greatest amount of happiness to the
greatest number of people” Must weigh pleasure vs. pain
Mill’s Theory- Human happiness is the ultimate goal, actions are evaluated by their
consequences.
6) What are utilitarianism's 5 main points?
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7) Why do critics argue that utilitarianism fails to consider the intrinsic value of moral
actions?
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a) approves of actions that are clearly wrong;
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b) undermines trust among people, and
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c) is too demanding because it requires people to make excessive levels of sacrifice.
8) Does utilitarianism take into consideration rights and justice?
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No it does not
9) Why is utilitarianism hard to measure and calculate?
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Because people think differently about pros and cons of situations.
10) What is the difference between act and rule utilitarianism?
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Act = individual actions
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Rule = general rule
11) Why does Hobbes argue, “Life in a state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and
short?”
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He says that everything you do is for praise and feeling good and morality has no factor.
12) According to Hobbes, what motivates humans for peace and morality?
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Self- interest
13) What is a social contract, according to Hobbes? What is its point? Who enforces it?
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Give up natural rights, and create limited rights, this would be controlled by a sovereign.
14) What does Rawls mean by the “veil of ignorance?” Why is this important?
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Veil of ignorance = avoids unjust actions = no discrimination against anyone
15) What are Rawls’ three principles of justice?
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Liberty, Fair Opportunity, and Difference
16) What is Kant’s second formulation of the categorical imperative?
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So act as to treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of any other, in every
case as an end and never as merely a means.”
17) What is Kant’s first formation of the categorical imperative?
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If an action is morally right, then it must apply consistently to everyone.
18) How might a critic respond to Kant's first formulation? In other words, what is wrong
with it?
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Everything could be considered morally right if it is for the greater good of yourself
19) What are the main points of discourse ethics?
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Discourse ethics refers to a type of argument that attempts to establish normative or
ethical truths by examining pros and cons.
20) Why does Habermas argue discourse leads to moral progress?
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Because it helps you see different perspectives and forms better moral perspectives.
21) Why does the Virtue Ethicist argue against Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics?
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Because they believe that people must go through a type of character development in
order to become a moral person, whereas Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics believe that
there is a morally right vs. wrong answer.
22) What is the doctrine of the means? Why is this important for Virtue Ethics?
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provides a strategy that enables the individual agent to make choices disciplined by a
state of character, which is cultivated by good habit. Because virtue ethics is based upon
character and how you've grown over good habits.
23) What is phronesis?
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Means Prudence- to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason.
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24) Why does feminist ethics critique traditional ethics?
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Women are underestimated
25) What does the ‘ethic of care’ mean? Why are relational elements and context important
for care ethics?
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implies that there is moral significance in the fundamental elements of relationships and
dependencies in human life
. Because it relates to the traits of women
26) What might a critic say about feminist ethics?
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Too focused on women, must include both
27) What is the difference between ‘modern’ and ‘postmodern’?
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Subjective is postmodern, and Objective is modern.
28) Richard Rorty argues that morality cannot be demonstrably true or false. What does
he mean by this?
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He believes that each person has their own opinions and due to this nothing can be true or
false.
29) What is ‘pluriversality’? Why does this position critique traditional ethics?
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Each cultural group has different opinions on morality and ethics.
30) What is ethical nihilism and why is this a critique against postmodernism?
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Ethical nihilism rejects the possibility of absolute moral or ethical values because it is a
product of nothing more than social and emotive pressures. And postmodernism has its
own opinions.
31) Who was Diogenes of Cynic? Why is he important?
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Diogenes of Cynic was a man who believed that doing what you wanted was morally
right in itself. He believed that “being a citizen of the word” was the correct thing to do.
He rejected money, fame, etc.
32) What is globalization?
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Globalization is the inexorable integration of markets, capital, nation-states, and
technologies to a degree never seen before
33) What are some of the main drivers of globalization?
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Evolving government
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Improved technology
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Increased customer demands
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Increased power and influence of markets
34) What does cosmopolitanism mean?
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Moral obligations are wide and diverse and must consider all global actors in
decision-making.
35) What are the three objections to cosmopolitanism discussed in class?
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It doesn't consider cultural differences, imposes Western liberal ideas, and it can cause
confusion.
36) Why does Thomas Pogge argue that cosmopolitanism is composed of three key features
(individualism, universality, and generality)?
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We must overcome our own perspective to understand cosmopolitanism.
37) How is cosmopolitanism connected to Immanuel Kant and John Mill?
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It connects to Deontological theory because you never use someone as an end to your
own means and Utilitarianism means to maximize happiness. Because they both agree
with cosmopolitanism.
38) What is Kant’s cosmopolitan law?
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Concerned not with the interaction between states, but with the status of individuals in
their dealings with states of which they are not citizens
39) What is the difference between cultural relativism and ethical relativism?
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Cultural relativism =
not judging a culture to our own standards
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Ethical relativism = When in Rome, do as the Romans do
40) How might a person support ethical relativism using the ‘differences argument’?
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Different cultures have different moral beliefs, practices, and traditions. If different
cultures have different moral beliefs, practices, and traditions, then there is no universal
moral truth.
41) Is ethical relativism logical?
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It is not, as we must realize the injustices some cultures perform. We must differentiate
right vs. wrong.
42) Some moral objectivists claim that universal moral truths hold for all cultures. How
could this be used to show ethical relativism is false?
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Let's say a Western culture doesn’t believe in child marriage as it is an act of slavery and
abuse, whereas another country believes it is completely fine as it's a way to pay off
debts. This would show the difference between moral truths for each of these cultures,
proving that not all cultures hold moral truths.
43) Does the diversity of cultures within Canada pose problems for ethical relativism?
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Yes as many people have different cultures and different moral values, making it
extremely difficult for people to come to a consensus unless western ideas are put upon
those people.
44) Why is moral progress called into doubt if relativism is true?
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Because if some people don’t agree with a statement it would not show moral progress. It
is very dependent on the percentage of people who agree or disagree with something. It's
hard to judge what is right or wrong at that time in history or the present.
45) How does ethical relativism prevent us from criticizing other cultures?
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It says that we cannot judge other cultures and put Western ideas onto them as it defeats
the purpose of ethical relativists saying “When in Rome, Do as the Romans do.”
46) How might a relativist argue for female genital mutilation (FGM)? What are some of
the cultural reasons for its use?
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Since it is an accepted cultural practice in that specific society, we cannot judge or say it
is morally wrong because it is not to them.
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Some of the cultural reasons for this are for power over their sexual desires, proving that
they are ready to become a “woman”, and saying that they are hygienic.
47) What are the ten main values of Schwartz’s value theory?
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Benevolence, Universalism, Self-Direction, Security, Conformity, Hedonism,
Achievement, Tradition, Stimulation, and Power
48) Why does the pursuit of any value have consequences that conflict with some other
values?
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pursuing one value leads to consequences that match some values but contradict others.
49) How does Schwartz’s value theory show that ethical relativism is false?
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a universal model outlining ten broad values that steer human behaviour
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50) What is the most important value, according to Schwartz?
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Benevolence
51) What is the least important value, according to Schwartz?
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Power
52) Why is there such a pan-cultural hierarchy of values?
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Because it discourages values that clash with the functioning of significant groups or
larger society.
53) Why are values important for society?
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Serves as an internalized guide for our behaviour.
54) How do values put demands on human nature?
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Values define what behaviour is socially acceptable.