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14 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the conception of moral rules, according to Social Contract Theory?
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Moral rules are those that individuals would agree for their own self-interest
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What is the state of nature according to Social Contract Theory?
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No organized society, no social rules and a time of complete freedom.
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What are the four conditions of the state of nature that makes it a state of war, according to Hobbes?
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1) People are self-interested (and desire to live)
2) All people need the same basic things 3) There is a scarcity of the things needed 4) There is a rough equality of power |
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What are the advantages of the Social Contract Theory?
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It explains convincingly why practices like racial and sexual discrimination are morally wrong;
people in the state of nature would certainly not agree to rules that said that they will get fewer rights and privileges than others |
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What are two objections to the Social Contract Theory?
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1) Animals & Cognitively impaired: These individuals would not be covered by the social contract because they cannot agree to the rules and these are not "rational" beings so they are outside of the morality.
2) According to the SCT, morality only exists if there are agreements, but surely there can be immorality or morality in a state of nature so SCT must be false. |
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What is the original position according to Social Contract Theory (Rawls)?
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A hypothetical situation from which people are to choose the principles of justice to regulate the major social institutions.
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What is the Veil of Ignorance according to Rawls?
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The people in the original position do not know any particular facts about themselves; for instance, they do not know their race, gender, class, natural abilities, religious convictions, specific values, goals in life and so forth.
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What is the reasoning toward the principles of justice from the original position (maximum)?
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As parties in the original position do not know their particular conception of the good life not have any particular information about themselves, Rawls believes that they will be extremely cautious in the choice of principles of justice.
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What are the principles of justice according to Rawls?
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1) The principle of maximal equal basic liberties: Each person is to have maximal equal basic liberties.
2a) The principle of fair equality of opportunity: Each person should have a meaningful opportunity to attain employment, education and positions of power 2b) The difference principle: There should be social and economic equality, unless inequality benefits everyone, especially those in the worst-off group |
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What are objections to Rawl's theory?
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Unfairness concerning The Difference Principle;
There is a difference between if a person is poor because of bad luck of if someone is poor because they are lazy. Rawl's claim is that those in this group must have some reason in their past that lead to them being in this position. |
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What is a virtue?
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A positive character trait that disposes one to feel or act appropriately
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What is Eudaimonia?
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In moral philosophy, eudaimonia is used to refer to the right actions as those that result in the well-being of an individual (human flourishing)
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What is the Doctrine of the Mean?
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Each moral virtue exists as a mean between two vices
(Dishonest --> Honesty--> Blunt) |
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What are the difficulties for Virtue Theory?
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1) Seems to lack guidance; what about when virtues conflict? 2) Gives the wrong reason an action is right or wrong; In the end you are doing this because you believe it will make you happy in the end?
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