Midterm tests

Name: Fernanda and Avery R



UNIT 1 REVIEW: Chapter 1-3



Complete the following for your test in order to get 2% bonus




Please note: In addition to completing these questions, you still are responsible for reading through Chapter 1,2, and 3 as well as your class notes. Additionally, you are responsible for all of the material we saw and discussed in the movies, shows, clips we watched




Chapter 1:



Morals and Ethics: 



  1. In your own words, define morals and ethics, indicating the difference between the two. 

Morals are something that are taught to us when we’re young and it’s what defines us.

Ethics are rules that are set for us and it is based on what the majority of people think is good

The difference between them is that Morals are something that we can decide on and are what makes up our personality whereas ethics is a set of rules implemented by someone else and it isn’t something that we ourselves can decide on. And it’s something that we have to follow that doesn't contribute to our personality.

  1. Explain ONE religious situation where morals and ethics can collide 

Doctor Assited Death

In the catholic church it is morally wrong to decide when to die, death is determined by God and no one else. It is wrong to play God and pick when to die.

Ethically in Canada there is nothing wrong with it as long as you meet the requirements necessary for it. 

  1. Explain ONE situation within our society where one's morals may collide with the ethics outlined.  



  1. Summarize, in your own words, the four ethical responses and give an example of each one. 

    1. The Scream - The experience of Personal Response

When you are in a situation where you have to be in a flight or fight mode. Ex: 

  1. The Beggar - The experience of the other

When someone asks you for money and you don’t give it to them so you are washed with guilt and see their face everywhere. 

  1. “I have to” - The experience of obligation

Following rules or laws because someone of authority made it so

  1. “This is intolerable” - The experience of contrast

When someone does something not up to social standards and it includes violence so everyone around them detests it 




Aristotle:



  1. Explain, according to Aristotle, what the difference between happiness and pleasure is. 

Happiness encompasses a broader and more profound sense of well-being and fulfillment that arises from virtuous activity and the realization of one's potential, pleasure refers to the transient sensations of enjoyment or satisfaction derived from the fulfillment of desires or sensory experiences. Aristotle argues that true happiness can only be achieved through the cultivation of virtue and the pursuit of a life guided by reason and moral excellence, rather than mere pleasure-seeking or hedonism.

  1. According to Aristotle, what is the polis and why is it important?

According to Aristotle, the polis is the city-state or political community. It's important because it's the primary context for human flourishing, where individuals develop virtue through participation in civic life and the pursuit of the common good.

  1. Explain what “teleological” means

"Teleological" means relating to the explanation of phenomena by their end goals or purposes.

  1. What does it mean when Aristotle spoke about THE MEAN

When Aristotle spoke about "the mean," he referred to finding a balanced middle ground between extremes, advocating for moderation and virtue.

Kant:



  1. According to Kant, what is “deontological” mean

According to Kant, "deontological" refers to an ethical theory based on duty or moral obligation, where actions are judged by their adherence to moral rules or principles, rather than their consequences.

  1. According to Kant, what is a “universal law?”

According to Kant, a "universal law" is a moral principle that applies to all rational beings universally, without exception. It is a rule that one can will to be a universal law governing everyone's behavior.

  1. What does it mean when we say that you shouldn’t use something as a means to an end? 

When we say you shouldn't use something as a means to an end, it means you shouldn't treat it merely as a tool or instrument to achieve your own goals without considering its intrinsic value or dignity.

  1. Explain the difference between theoretical and practical reasoning 

Theoretical reasoning pertains to understanding and explaining the world, while practical reasoning involves making decisions and taking actions based on values and goals.

  1.  According to Kant, what three principles allow for the pursuit of the happiness

According to Kant:

Freedom: Kant believes individuals have the freedom to pursue their happiness within the constraints of moral law.

Equality: Kant asserts that everyone has an equal right to pursue their happiness, provided it doesn't infringe upon the rights of others.

Autonomy: Individuals are autonomous agents, capable of rational self-governance in the pursuit of their happiness.

Levinas:



  1. According to Levinas, where do we see the face of God?

According to Levinas, we see the face of God in the face of the Other, particularly in the encounter with the vulnerable, marginalized, and suffering individuals.

  1. What does this mean? (How should we treat other people and why?)

This means we should treat other people with compassion, respect, and empathy because recognizing their humanity and dignity is fundamental to our ethical responsibility and moral obligation.

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Chapter 2:




Conceptual Framework of Action:



  1. Who was Paul Ricoeur?

He devised the conceptual framework of action. He was born in Valence, France in 1913. He studied philosophy at the University of Rennes but completed his studies in Paris. The war convinced him to necome a pacifist. 

  1. Define/list the key words of the CFA Eg: Agent, motive, interaction, mitigate, aggravate, means to an end, values, etc… 

  • Agent - A person who makes things happen

    • Mitigate or aggravate the morality of the action(is the person an adult or child?)

  • The Action - What the agent does

    • Intent: was the action intended?

  • The Motive - The reason why we intend something

    • Desired outcome - What is it?

  • Ends does not justify the means - Ex, Someone is annoying you; do you scream at them or stop or do you politely ask them to cease their behaviour

  • Interaction - Every action is an interaction, the things we do affect people

  • Responsible - Are you responsible for the outcome of your actions?

  • Take Credit - Can you take credit for a good outcome

  • Responsible - Are you responsible for a bad outcome?(Drunk driving)

  1. Explain what is meant by “our actions shape us”

Your actions shape you. Shoplifting will shape you in a different way than will going homework or arriving on time for work. Gossiping will shape you differently than composing a letter of appreciation for someone. Ethics is about reflection on intentional actions, that is, actions intended by an agent. Intentional actions are also called meaningful actions. 

Views on Human Freedom:



  1. What is naturalism?

We aren’t as free as we think we are, he thinks that is because of cause and effect. Naturalism believes the naterial universe as a unified system. As part of evolutionary process, humans, this theory holds, are no more than a part of the material universe. 

  1. What is the genome project?

The Human Genome Project has clearly established that there is a relationship between a person’s neural network and his or her actions. 

  1. How does naturalism deny the possibility of ethics and morality?

Naturalis denies the possibility or ethics and morality. How can you be responsible for your actions if what you do is a natural physical process over which you have no control and if control is just another facet of your neural organziation? What if it is no more than your genetic make-up that is a work?

  1. What is predestination? 

Historically, some churches within Christianity have denied human freedom. They have done so based on a belief in God whose knowledge and will have predetermined not only the course of the world and its history, but also each action and deed of every individual. 

  1. How does social determinism explain human behavior? 

Determinisn is when you believe that all of your thoughts and desires are cause by previous events. They feel that they have no control over their own life. A social determinsist would say  that your behaviour is determined not so much by your physical state as by the influences of others upon you: your parents or culture. Your actions can be explained by what you have undergone at the hands of others. You are not free because you are the product of what others have to you. The past, your past, determines who you are. Your behaviour is explained by social factors, not by your decisions. 

  1. Define the three structures of personality according to Freud (Id, Ego, Superego) 

  • ID - This is your instincts, what your mind first goes to. The devil on the shoulder

  • Ego - This is Reality, it is trying to balance between the ID and Superego. What actually happens IRL

  • Superego - This is Morality. The angel on your shoulder telling you the good things. 

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Chapter 3: 



6 Aspects of the Human Person:



  1. How are human actions relational? Explain

Human actions are relational because they involve interactions with others, dependencies on social structures, and communication processes. These relational aspects are integral to understanding human behavior and the connections of individuals within society.






  1. What is narcissism?

Someone who is self-absorbed and thinks very highly of themselves and lacks empathy for others.

  1. How does your moral stance give rise to your identity?

We are shaped by our commitments, you need to know where you stand on big issues, Charles taylor argues that there is an essential link between our morals and identity

  1. Why is conversation so important? Give examples of what it helps achieve

Communication is important in life. Your stance in life is not shaped by you alone. Rather, you are a part of a community that shares a common language. Language and conversation contains and shares with others common experiences and commitments, Language is meaningless to someone who does not share the same experiences as us. Ex, inside jokes help achieve a deeper connection to someone, you have something you can bond over. 

  1. What is character?

It refers to the way your actions, over time, tend to become fixed in your body. 

  1. List the 3 Senses of conscience and explain

  • Conscience as a capacity to recognize right and wrong

    • Capacity to have a general awareness that some things are right and others are wrong

    • Fundamental sense of value and personal responsibility

    • Defines the essential identity of the human

    • Defines the essential identity of the human

  • Conscience as a process of moral reasoning

    • You need to search out in each situation what is the right thing to do

    • Must seek to learn the facts, to learn what moral values are, to reason correctly

    • It’s a lifelong process of learning “correct seeing and right thinking”

  • Conscience as a judgment

    • Heart of your conscience

    • Commit yourself to do what you believe to be right and avoid what you believe to be wrong

    • Guides you through the concrete situations of daily living

  1. List the symptoms of a malformed conscience. 

  • Always makes bad decisions. 

  • Lack of infor to form right judgements and good decisions

  • We think we are doing something right, but are doing something evil to get what we want

  • Can be caused by faulty reasoning, faulty value structures and immoral actions