Ethics Essay Questions

1. Define and explain hard determinism. How does fatalism differ from predestination? Define each and give a brief example.
   
   

2. Explain and define what ethical absolutism is. Distinguish between ethical and psychological relativism.
   
   

3. Explain clearly the argument from moral progress and explain how the argument from moral progress refutes ethical relativism. Explain the distinction between psychological and ethical relativism and describe an example illustrating the difference.
   
   

4. Define and distinguish between the terms psychological and ethical egoism. Explain ``The Myth of the Ring of Gyges.''
   
   

5. What is the linguistic refutation of psychological egoism? That is, why is psychological egoism a meaningless theory? Explain why ethical egoism can't be universalized.
   
   

6. If one derives satisfaction from helping others, does that make the action selfish? Explain your answer. Explain one specific example of an action which is not based on self-interest. Be sure to describe why self-interest is not the basis of the action described in your example. (Note that ``saying that something is so'' and ''explaining why something is so'' are not the same thing.)
   
   

7. What are the central ideas of James' article, ``What Makes a Life Significant?'' Explain why you agree with any of his main ideas, if any, and explain why you disagree with any of his ideas, if any.
   
   

8. Explain Nietzsche's distinction between master-morality and slave-morality. Explain why you think master morality and/or slave morality would regard Christianity as a religion which should be followed by most people.
   
   

9. What does Sartre mean when he says ``existence precedes essence''? Explain the meaning of those terms as Sartre uses them. In what sense are ``we condemned to be free''? What does this phrase mean?
   
   

10. What is existentialism? (Summarize the description of this philosophy by consulting any of the sources listed at the bottom of the homepage for WebCT:
    http://philosophy.lander.edu/intro/webCT.shtml )
    
    Explain and describe with original examples what Sartre means by any two of the following terms: ``anguish,'' ``forlornness,'' and ``despair.''
    
    
    

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