PHIL 360 - C7 and C9

Contractarianism originated as what type of theory?

Political theory

Contractarianism states that actions are morally right if & only if what is the case?

If they reflect the terms of a social contract that free, equal, & rational people would accept as the basic of a cooperative life

Contractarians have traditionally taken the view that people are for the most part what?

Self-interested

According to contractarianism, we are best off when we agree to limit what?

Agree to limit the direct pursuit of self-interest

A prisoner’s dilemma is a situation in which everyone is better off if what?

If they scale back their pursuit of self-interest

Are prisoner’s dilemmas realistic or purely hypothetical?

Realistic

Who is the founder of modern contractarianism?

Thomas Hobbes

Hobbes claimed that life in the state of nature would be what?

solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short, (a war of all against all)

The purpose of Rawl’s “veil of ignorance” is to ensure what?

That the choices of the contractors are fair

What is the term for a situation in which everyone is made worse off when all pursue self-interest?

Prisoner’s Dilemma

What was Thomas Hobbe’s term for a condition in which there is no government to maintain order?

The state of nature

What did Hobbes think is the only way to escape from the state of nature?

To mutually agree on a set of rules for social cooperation

Do contractarians believe that basic moral rules can be justified?

They do not believe that basic moral rules can be justified

Rawls “veil of ignorance” is an imaginary device meant to ensure what?

To ensure that the choices they make are completely fair

According to Rawl’s theory, do the contractors ever disagree?

No

According to Hobbes, life in the absence of a government would be what?

Horrible

According to Hobbes, moral obligations arise from what?

social contracts

In Hobbe’s example, “the Fool” is someone who believes what?

The fool is someone who thinks that it may sometimes be rational to break promises anyways

According to Hobbes, what is the principle cause of conflict in the state of nature?

Competition, glory, and diffidence

According to Hobbes, is there justice or injustice in the state of nature?

No justice or injustice

According to virtue ethics, what is the fundamental moral question?

What should I do?/What kind of person should I be?

In the West, virtue ethics traces its origins back to whom?

Ancient Greeks to Aristotle

According to virtue ethics, actions are right just because what/why?

Actions are right because they would be done by someone of true virtue

Virtue ethics is a form of what kind of theory?

Ethical pluralism

According to virtue ethics, is there a simple formula for right action?

There is no simple formula, virtue ethicists reject the idea

According to virtue ethics, moral understanding is a species of what?

Practical wisdom

According to virtue ethics, emotions play what kind of role in moral understanding?

Emotions play a CRUCIAL role

What are some common objections to virtue ethics?

It fails to provide enough help in saving moral puzzles, it leads to contradictions

According to virtue ethics, how do we become more insightful in selecting moral exemplars?

By becoming morally wiser in general

Why is the contradiction problem a threat to virtue ethics?

Because not everyone acts alike in virtue ethics

According to virtue ethics, how is/are the concepts of duty defined?

Duty is defined in terms of the concept of virtue

What notion should be at the heart of ethical theory, according to virtue ethics?

The character of the individual (their virtue)

What is the relationship between duty and virtue, according to virtue ethics?

Duty is defined as what a virtuous person would do

What is a moral exemplar?

A moral role model; someone who exhibits the moral virtues to a great degree

What does virtue ethics have a hard time explaining in terms of role models?

Hard time explaining what they are

According to Aristotle, do people have moral understanding and behavior by nature?

No, but we can get them as we experience life

According to Aristotle, taking pleasure in virtuous actions is a sign of what?

A sign of true virtue & moral character

Why does Aristotle call virtue a “mean”?

Because it is a middle state between 2 extremes

To become virtuous, Aristotle recommends doing what?

1. practice by doing virtuous things

2. Avoiding excess & deficiency

3. Pursuing & avoiding appropriate pleasures & pains

According to Aristotle, virtue is a kind of what?

1. A state of character

2. A disposition to choose the intermediate

3. A mean