Philosophy of Food Final

Normative Statement

Matter that requires norms or standards of evaluation; advises us what to do

Validity

If all the premises are true, the conclusion must be true

Soundness

A valid argument with all true premises

Sufficient Condition

“X is enough or more than enough to be y”

Teleology

Eudaimonia

Positive and Negative Duties

Virtue-based Ethics

A theory that tells a person how to be or what character to have

Act-based Ethics

A theory that tells a person what to do, what acts are right and wrong

Consequentialism

Non-consequentialism

Deontology

Pain and Pleasure

Subjective mental states

Greatest Happiness Principle

Higher Pleasure

Which best captures Aristotle’s notion of telos (end/aim)?

A. A random outcome of chance events (no intrinsic purpose)

B. The purpose or end for which something exists or acts (its aim)

C. A divine command external to nature (God’s will)

D. A temporary preference that changes with desire (subjective want)

E. The accumulation of wealth (financial success)

B. The purpose or end for which something exists or acts (its aim)

Aristotle defines virtue (arete) as:

A state of _____ concerned with choice, lying in a _____ relative to us, determined by a _____ principle (and by that principle by which the practically wise person would determine it).

character; mean; rational

Which option best fits with Aristotle’s notion of happiness (chief good/highest good)?

A. Pleasure (hedone) (life of enjoyment)

B. Honor (life of reputation and recognition)

C. Wealth (life of accumulation of money)

D. Eudaimonia (flourishing/happiness) (life of reason and virtue)

E. Study (theoria) (life of intellectual contemplation)

D. Eudaimonia (flourishing/happiness) (life of reason and virtue)

Which of the following is closest to Aristotle’s argument for the existence of a highest good?

A. If there were no highest good, we would desire everything

B. If there were no highest good, the chain of “why” questions would go on infinitely

C. If there were no highest good, God would have created one

D. If there were no highest good, people would be unhappy

E. If there were no highest good, laws could not exist

B. If there were no highest good, the chain of “why” questions would go on infinitely

Which of the following is the distinctive function (ergon) of human beings?

A. Nutrition and growth (shared with plants)

B. Perception (shared with animals)

C. Rational activity (activity of soul in accord with reason)

D. Seeking pleasure (life of enjoyment)

E. Obeying tradition (social conformity)

C. Rational activity (activity of soul in accord with reason)

Which of the following is what makes a knife a good knife (according to Aristotle’s idea of function)?

A. Its usefulness for decoration

B. Its value in trade

C. Its ability to cut well (perform its function)

D. The pleasure it gives its owner

E. Its age and tradition

C. Its ability to cut well (perform its function)

Case Applications. For each case, decide whether the response best shows an Excess Vice (EV), the Mean/Virtue (MV), or a Deficient Vice (DV).

Case 1: A colleague takes credit for your work.

Virtue: Mildness (mean in regard to anger); Excess vice: Irascibility (too much anger); Deficient vice: Irascibility (too little anger)

1) You feel no anger at all, shrug it off completely, and never stand up for yourself (EV/MV/DV)

DV: Deficient Vice

2) You feel angry, but instead of thinking carefully, you explode with insults, shouting in front of everyone (EV/MV/DV)

EV: Excess Vice

3) You feel justifiably upset, calmly confront your colleague, and assert your contribution without either blowing up or ignoring it (EV/MV/DV)

MV: Mean/Virtue

Case Applications. For each case, decide whether the response best shows an Excess Vice (EV), the Mean/Virtue (MV), or a Deficient Vice (DV).

Case 2: A friend consistently ignores your advice, even when it could help them

Virtue: Friendliness (mean of social interaction); Excess vice: Quarrelsomeness (picking fights, too much conflict); Deficient vice: Flattery (being overly agreeable, never disagreeing)

4) You become quarrelsome and overly argumentative every time they reject your suggestion (EV/MV/DV)

EV: Excess Vice

5) You flatter them and avoid ever disagreeing, just to stay agreeable (EV/MV/DV)

DV: Deficient Vice

6) You stay friendly and respectful, making suggestions when appropriate, but without either constant quarrels or flattery (EV/MV/DV)

MV: Mean/Virtue

Which of the following best illustrates Aristotle’s idea of the “mean?”

A. Wealth as a mean between poverty and greed

B. Friendship as a mean between love and hate

C. Happiness as a mean between pleasure and sadness

D. Anger as a mean between forgiveness and cruelty

E. Courage/Bravery as a mean between cowardice and recklessness

E. Courage/Bravery as a mean between cowardice and recklessness

For Cafaro, Gluttony in environmental contexts is best characterized as:

A. A love of food that is compatible with moderation and ecological limits

B. An habitual excess in consumption (only food and drinks) driven by oversensitivity to such pleasures, dulling perception, undermining self-command, and ultimately burdening ecosystems

C. A fleeting celebration (e.g. a holiday feast) that has no bearing on character or ongoing habits

D. A habitual excess in consumption (e.g. foods, drink, sex, drugs, movies, games, and more) driven by oversensitivity to such pleasures, dulling perception, undermining self-command, and ultimately burdening ecosystems