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Study Guide for the 1^st Ethics Quiz

The quiz will consist of a number of short answer questions. For each of the philosophers we have covered, you should be able to give an account of their basic ideas and apply these ideas to a concrete situation.  You should also know some major criticisms that can be offered of each philosopher.  I may give you a quotation from one of the philosophers that we have studied and ask you to explain that quotation. If you have had any difficulties with the main text, Palmer's Does the Center Hold? will be of great help.  What follows is a list of major ideas that may help with your review.  You should be able to explain why these philosophers hold these positions and how these positions fit together.

1.       Hobbes

1. People are self-interested and rational.

2. The state of nature equals a war of all against all.

3. A strong centralized government (preferably a monarchy) is needed to maintain social order.

4. The laws of the state define justice.  

5. Revolutionary activity is never morally justified.

6. In conflicts between states, no appeal to justice makes sense.

2.       Locke

1. Even in the state of nature, there are natural rights.

2. A government is legitimate if it protects the natural rights of its citizens.

3. There is a right to revolution.

4. The best government is a representative democracy with branches of government that check and balance one another’s powers.

5. Something unclaimed becomes property when someone mixes his labor with it, but this changes later.

6. Only certain people have full rights of citizenship.

3.       Kant

1. The only intrinsic good is the good will, the disposition to act out of duty in accord with rational morality.

2. There are two formulations of the categorical imperative.

3. The social contract added to this structure.

4. Only certain people have rights of citizenship.

5. The social contract requires a league of nations to end the state of nature among nations.

4.       Mill

1. The only intrinsic good is happiness.

2. The utilitarianism maxim defines justice.

3. There is a vigorous defense of liberty and minority fights

4. There is a limitation on the scope of government and a rejection of paternalism

5. Democracy with universal suffrage (including women) is advocated, but even a democracy should not be able to abrogate the rights of its citizens.

6. Oppression does not really benefit oppressors.

5.       There will be some extra credit questions on current events.