Long Answer Questions

Part II. Longer Answer Questions (responses should be roughly a couple of detailed paragraphs). Be sure not only to state the main ideas and arguments but to explain them in specific detail. Examples help to illustrate your understanding. FOUR questions will be on the exam (that I select) and students will have to answer all four questions. (Students should be sure to answer all four questions so as not to lose substantial points!) 1. Define Subjective Ethical Relativism and explain how it differs from Ethical Objectivism and Conventional Relativism. Identify some strengths or appeals of the theory. Finally, explain two critiques Pojman makes against subjective relativism. Use an example to illustrate the criticisms. 2. Define Conventional Ethical Relativism and explain how it differs from Ethical Objectivism and Subjection Relativism. Next, identify some strengths or appeals of the theory. Select one of the main criticisms of Conventional Ethical Relativism and explain the argument in detail. Use an example or two that help to illustrate the criticism. 3. Define Psychological Egoism (as opposed to Ethical Egoism) and then explain the argument from Self-Satisfaction that is used to support it. What is the critique of this argument? Use an example to illustrate the critique. 4. Identify some of the main ideas of Ayn Rands virtue of selfishness. Summarize the main argument in support of her Ethical Egoism. What are two main criticisms of Rands egoism? Use an example to illustrate one of the criticisms. 5. Explain Hobbess theory of the state of nature. What are the consequences of this state? Next explain how social contract theory provides a solution to it. Be specific in showing why accepting this solution makes the most rational sense for an egoist. 6. What are Mills position regarding the morality of an action in its relation to: (a) self-sacrifice, (b) motive, and (c) that it takes too long to calculate which action will lead to greatest happiness. Again, use examples to illustrate the claims Mill makes. Finally, explain some critiques that can be made against these claims?