REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR KANT and CONFUCIANS TEST
Glossary for Kant Confucianism Glossary
Definitions-List-Description
1. Kant’s willing a universal law form of his categorical imperative
2. Kant’s never as a means only form of his categorical imperative
3. Autonomy - define and explain why autonomy is a central concept in Kant’s ethics
4. Deontology - define and explain why Kant focuses on motives rather than consequences
5. List two ways Kantianism is similar to and two ways Kantianism is different from utilitarianism.
6. Perfect Duty
7. Imperfect Duty
8. Jen/ren
9. Li
10. Hsiao
11. Yi
12. Reciprocity/Shu
13. Mencius’ seed theory
14. Particularism
15. Self-cultivation
16. emulation
17. the Confucian "self"
18. Chün-tzu
Possible Types of Essay Questions
1. State the willing a universal law form of the categorical imperative. Show how Kant applies it in his example of the lying promise. OR Show how he applies it in his example of the prosperous helping those in distress. Give a similar example that creates the same type of duty.
2. State the never as a means only form of the categorical imperative. Show how Kant applies it in his example of the lying promise. OR Show how he applies it in his example of helping those in distress. OR Show how he applies it to his suicide example. Give a similar example that creates the same type of duty.
3. Be able to apply the willing a universal law and the never as a means only forms to hypothetical examples. Be able to offer examples of your own that parallel (i.e., create the same kind of duty: perfect or imperfect) the lying promise and the prosperous helping those in distress examples. [You will have to know the difference between perfect and imperfect duties].
4. Describe the problem of conflict of duty as a major criticism of Kant's ethics.
5. Explain why some utilitarians argue that Kant is sneaking consequences in the backdoor? How might Kant reply?
6. Describe one way in which Kant’s system is similar to utilitarianism and one way it is different.
7. Describe the Confucian concepts of jen(ren) and li found in the excerpts of the Analects we studied. How are these concepts related?
8. Explain how jen and reciprocity/shu are related.
9. Confucianism is often said to be an ethical system that focuses on self-cultivation and emulation. What does this mean? Why is it important?
10. What is li as it appears in the excerpts of the Analects we read? To what extent is such a concept and practice relevant in the modern U.S.? Illustrate your answer with at least one example.
11. What is the concept of hsiao and why is it an important aspect of Confucian ethics?
12. Describe Mencius’ seed theory and his key virtues. What is one contribution you think this theory makes to ethics? What is one weakness?
13. What is Mencius' view of human nature and how does this relate to his seed theory?
14. Describe one point of Mencius' advice to the ruler in the excerpts we read. Explain briefly why you think this was good or bad advice.
15. Discuss briefly one of the exchanges we read between Kao-tzu and Mencius. Which thinker is more persuasive? Why?
16. Who (or what) is the chün-tzu and what role does the chün-tzu play in the excerpts from the Analects we read?
17. What is one strength and one weakness of the use of emulation/role modeling for ethics?
18. Confucianism is sometimes said to be a contextual and particularist approach. What does this mean?
19. Compare and contrast Confucian ethics with one of the Western ethical systems we have studied. Cover one similarity and one difference.
Don't forget the helpful overheads and handouts on Kant:
Don't forget the readings and overheads about Confucianism:
| Confucius and Confucianism" by Hall and Ames at http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/G001SECT4 See also the entry there on ars contextualis. |
| "Confucianism" by Judith Berling at http://www.asiasociety.org/countries-history/religions-philosophies/confucianism |
| "Mencius" by Kwong Loi Shun at http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mencius/ |
| David Wong's entry on "Chinese Ethics"at http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-chinese/#CenFilPieConEthDocLovDis |
| Confucian Ethics Lecture (Confucius and Mencius) |
| Mencius' Sprout Theory |
Suggestions for Writing Essay Questions
A. Read over the question and determine what the question is asking you to do. Key words that are often used in questions are explain, discuss, describe, evaluate, compare, contrast, apply, etc. These tell you what to do.
B. Note which philosopher(s) or system the question covers.
C. One way to begin is to start out by restating the question. You don't have to begin this way, but it is a way to get started and to be sure that you are answering the question asked.
For example:
In this essay, I will briefly discuss one strength and then one flaw in Glaucon's devil's advocate argument in Book II of Plato's Republic.
Plato and Augustine are not materialists. I will first define materialism. Then I will explain why they are not materialists.
D. When you are done with writing, read over your answers. You can correct misspellings, add any omitted words, and make sure you answered the question fully.