Philosphy Exam 1

What drug did Purdue Pharma release that led to the opioid crisis?

OxyContin

Who approved OxyContin in 1995?

The FDA

Who was the FDA official involved in the OxyContin approval?

Curtis Wright

Who were the family owners of Purdue Pharma?

The Sacklers (Arthur, Raymond, and Mortimer)

(T/F): Purdue Pharma was only sued under criminal law.

False — they faced both civil and criminal lawsuits.

How much was Purdue Pharma sued for over time?

$7.4 billion

What was Purdue’s false marketing claim about OxyContin?

That it provided 12-hour relief and was less than 1% addictive.

(T/F): McKinsey, a consulting firm, helped Purdue with marketing strategies for OxyContin.

True

What three groups make up a corporation?

Owners, stockholders/employees, management

What does “limited liability” mean for stockholders?

They can only lose their investment, not personal property.

(T/F): Limited liability discourages investment.

False — it encourages it.

Define a valid argument.

Logically correct, even if the premises are false.

Define a sound argument.

Both valid and has true assumptions.

(T/F): If something matches logically but is based on false premises, it is still valid.

True

What is ethics?

A way to answer questions about right and wrong, morals, perspective, and how to live.

What are negative rights?

Rights that restrict what others can do to you (e.g., free speech, property).

What are positive rights?

Rights that require others to provide something for you (e.g., healthcare).

(T/F): Positive rights are about entitlement; negative rights are about protection.

True

Give an example of indirect harm.

Breaking someone’s property.

What does utilitarianism focus on?

The consequences — choosing what brings the greatest good to the most people.

(T/F): The rights view says you can always sacrifice one individual for the common good.

False — rights cannot always be sacrificed.

Happiness is linked to what kind of experiences?

Pleasure, joy, feelings (e.g., family time, entertainment, drugs).

Meaning is linked to what kind of experiences?

Doing good for the world, having purpose (e.g., volunteering, meaningful work).

(T/F): A meaningful job often helps others or makes life better for people.

True

Name three “unfair factors” that can influence success.

Genes, family, time/place of birth.

(T/F): Success is only the result of hard work.

False — luck and circumstances also matter.

Define a political system.

A system that determines how government decisions are made and by whom.

Define an economic system.

How resources, goods, and services are produced and distributed.

What four problems must every economic system solve?

What to produce, how to produce, how to distribute, when to produce.

(T/F): The U.S. has a purely capitalist system.

False — it is a mixed economy.

In a monarchy, who makes the laws?

One person.

In a democracy, how are laws made?

By the people directly or through representatives (indirect).

Utilitarianism = greatest good for the greatest number.

True

Negative rights = entitlements from others.

False

Purdue Pharma misled doctors by saying OxyContin had less than 1% addiction risk.

True 

Life is most meaningful when driven only by necessity.

False

The FDA is funded entirely by private companies.

False (funded by taxes)