Home Up 1st Study Guide 2nd Study Guide Journal Entries on War 3rd Study Guide Questions for the Final Exam

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ 1st Study Guide ] [ 2nd Study Guide ] [ Journal Entries on War ] [ 3rd Study Guide ] [ Questions for the Final Exam ]


Study Guide for the 2nd Ethics Quiz
 

The quiz will consist of a number of short answer questions.  This means that it is very important for you to practice explaining the theories which we have covered in your own words.  For each of the philosophers we have covered, you should be able to give an account of their basic ideas and arguments.  Secondly, you should be able to apply these ideas to concrete situations.  Thirdly, you should also know some major criticisms that can be offered of each philosopher.  If you have had any difficulties with the main texts, Palmer's Does the Center Hold? will be help.  I have added to the web page for the class a summary of Marx’s theory of alienation which may also be helpful.  What follows is a list of major ideas that may help with your review. 

1. Review the material from the first part of the class. Review questions may appear on the quiz, and you may be asked to make a comparison between a philosopher we studied in the first part of the class and a philosopher we have covered recently.


2. For Marx, you should know:
       a. Human nature (self-creative being and collection of social relationships)
       b. Most basic values (Self-determination, self-realization, truly human relationships)
       c. The basis of his condemnation of capitalism (theory of alienation)
       d. Six aspects of alienation
       e. The basic content of The Communist Manifesto


3. You should know the definitions of distributive justice, negative rights, and positive rights.


4.  You need to understand the libertarian position as presented by Hospers and Nozick on what justice is.  You should be able to present the arguments for this position.

5.  You need to understand Rawls’ liberal theory of justice.  You should be able to describe his Kantian methodology (using the veil of ignorance), and you should be able to state and apply his two principles of justice.

6.  Review Schumacher’s article on Buddhist economics, and be sure you understand why it constitutes a fundamental challenge to both conservative and liberal outlooks.  Understand the Buddhist position on the significance of work.

8.  One type of question I may ask will involve asking you to explain a quotation from one of the assigned texts.