Philosophy 433 ����������������������������������� History of
Ethics���������������������� ����������� Darwall����������������������� ����������� Winter
2004
FINAL EXAM STUDY
QUESTIONS
1.� Bringing in the
various aspects of Hume's account of justice, write a critical evaluation, from
Hume's point of view, of Hobbes's treatment of morality as based on a mutual
covenant.� Where would Hume agree; where
would he disagree; and why?� Then defend
Hobbes as best you can against whatever criticisms Hume might make.
2.� Discuss how
damaging to Kant Hume's arguments that morality can neither be based on, nor be
discovered by, reason are.� How would
Kant best defend his idea that the moral law is a �Fundamental Law of Pure
Practical Reason against Hume�s attack.
3.� The notion of
utility and/or the happiness of all appear, in one way or another, in the
writings of Hutcheson, Hume, and Bentham.�
Describe and critically assess the different and distinctive roles these
ideas have in the moral philosophy of each writer.
4.� Compare, contrast,
and critically evaluate the way Kant connects the ideas of freedom and the moral
law and the way Rousseau relates "moral liberty" and the general
will.
5.� Critically
evaluate Nietzsche's thesis that the distinctive moral ideas of good and evil
are sustained only by the envy and hatred of the weak.� Is there a philosophical account of these
ideas we have studied this semester that has any plausibility at all as a
defense of morality against Nietzsche's attack?
6.� How does
7.� Critically discuss
the �fact of reason� and the role it plays in Kant�s defense of the idea that �autonomy
of the will is the sole principle of all moral laws� (
�