Short Answer - Definitions, Descriptions, Brief Discussions 

Definitions of many of these terms can be found in the Ethics Glossary for Test Two  Click to go there.

1. Hobbes’ Great Leviathan

2. Hobbes’ social contract

3. Hobbes’ first and second laws of nature

4. Hobbes’ right of nature

5. psychological egoism 

6. ethical egoism  

7. altruism

8.  Hume's argument that one cannot derive on "ought" from an "is; i.e., a value from a fact

9. idealism versus materialism

10. moral absolutism versus moral relativism

11. act utilitarianism 

12. rule utilitarianism

13. quantitative utilitarianism 

14.  qualitative utilitarianism

15.  J. S. Mill's principle of utility or greatest happiness

16. Hedonic Calculus - What is it?  Be able to list Bentham's seven circumstances or elements of the value of pain and pleasure (intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity, and extent--to whom the action extends) - check out the Memory Verse on the overhead!

Possible Types of Short Essay Questions

1.  How does the prisoner's dilemma illustrate several key points that Hobbes makes in the excerpts we read from Leviathan?

2.  For Hobbes, why is a social contract necessary?  What does it accomplish whether viewed as actual or in terms of a thought experiment?

3.  Define psychological egoism and describe one major criticism of it and how a psychological egoist might respond.  (don't forget the egoism handout as an aid, it doesn't cover everything, but a lot.  It also gives additional sources)

4.  Define ethical egoism and describe one major criticism of it and how an ethical  egoist might respond. (Don't forget the egoism handout as an aid, it doesn't cover everything, but a lot.  It also gives additional sources)

5.  Define and describe the differences between act and rule utilitarianism, using at least one example to illustrate. 

6.  Define and describe the differences between quantitative and qualitative utilitarianism, using at least one example to illustrate.

7.  Summarize  Hume's argument that one cannot derive an "ought" from an "is", using at least one example to illustrate.

8.  Hume uses the examples of parricide, animal incest, and willful murder. Describe the argument he is using these examples to illustrate. What distinctions does he make between "is" and "ought", fact and value?

9.  How do Hume’s views open the door to moral relativism and how does he seek to shut the door?             

10.  Briefly describe the  Problem of Distributive Justice or Unjust Consequences as a classic criticism of utilitarianism.  (See Classic Criticisms handout/overhead) and Solomon, Martin, and Vaught, 17-18.)

11.  Briefly describe the issue of Motives versus Consequences as a classic criticism of utilitarianism.   (See Classic Criticisms handout/overhead)

12.  Briefly describe the debate within utilitarianism between quantitative and qualitative utilitarians.

13. Be able to explain and comment on the following key ideas found in Mill:

a. Consequences rather than motives are what counts.

b. The intrinsic value of pleasure gives value to acts. However, one must also take into account different qualities of pleasures, as well as quantity. "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied: better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.( Mill, Utilitarianism, Chapter Two in Solomon, Martin, and Vaught, 333)."

As always, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has excellent entries on individual philosophers as well as systems such as utilitarianism. Solomon, Martin, and Vaught have on overview of much of what we have covered on pages 5-25.  Pages 7-13,16-18, and 20-22 are particularly relevant for this test.