PHIL152- review guide for final exam
1, You should have read chapters 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11 and all
the additional readings posted on the course web page. I have
posted the slides for each unit along with the readings.
2, You should have been taking notes that in some way correspond to the flow of
our classroom discussions. Review the two midterm exams also.
If you have not completed (1), get caught up. If you have not done (2), see if a classmate is willing to review with you. In fact, reviewing with a classmate is an excellent idea either way – highly recommended.
In Chapter 1 – basics of moral reasoning, different theories
of individual and social morality, different types of moral considerations,
such as the harm principle, principles of fairness or rights, the principle of
utility, Kantian respect, Aristotle on virtues and human well-being (recall our
discussion of integrity), social values such as freedom, equality, and
pluralism; the challenge of relativism.
In Chapter 3 – traditional views of sexuality contrasted
with more permissive views, whether and why sexual activity might deserve
special status, the role of consent, reasons to regard
same-sex/multi-partner/solo sex/prostitution as permissible or forbidden,
relation of sex to marriage, Vatican statement.
In Chapter 4 – question of personhood, moral status of
fetus, actual vs potential life, slippery-slope fallacies, rights issues,
Marquis’ argument, Thomson’s argument, Warren’s argument.
In Chapter 7 – nature of punishment generally, theories
about the proper aim of punishment, capital punishment as effective deterrent
vs just retribution vs unjustified, problems of judicial error or systematic
bias, Primoratz’ argument, Van den Haag’s argument, Bedau’s argument.
In chapter 9- basic elements of globalization, theories of distributive justice, Rawls vs Nozick, libertarianism/welfare liberalism/socialism, Singer on global poverty and what our obligations are, Arnold and Bowie on sweatshops and exploitation, Zwolinski and Powell’s rejoinder to Arnold and Bowie.
Immigration unit – nationalism and cosmopolitanism, six reasons we discussed for opposing immigration, five reasons we discussed for opposing restrictions on immigration, Huemer’s argument against restrictions and his conception of rights, Miller’s argument defending nationalism
Drugs unit – various rationales for limiting liberty (harm to others, paternalism, offense, moralism), law of unintended consequences, Boaz’s arguments for legalization (rights-based and consequentialist), De Marneffe’s distinction between legalization and decriminalization, Goodin’s criteria for justified paternalism, Shapiro on addiction
Guns unit – 2nd Amendment, problems with interpreting legal documents, theories of constitutional interpretation, moral reasons to justify use of arms, moral reasons to oppose use of arms, consequence-based considerations regarding (a) effects of different policies and (b) cost/benefit analysis of banning vs allowing
Ch. 11 – different approaches to moral status of animals; religious traditions; philosophical traditions; utilitarianism vs rights theory on the status of animals; concept of speciesism and the problem with identifying the wrongness it might imply; Singer’s argument based on utilitarianism; Regan’s argument for animal rights; Cohen’s criticism of Regan; Lomasky on the virtuous life and the propriety of eating animals
Organs unit – why there is an organ shortage; which incentives create what sorts of consequences; Caplan’s opposition to markets; Caplan’s proposal to increase supply; Dworkin’s two arguments in favor of markets (rights, utility); Dworkin’s rebuttal to Caplan’s concerns