PHIL 3720 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Kantian Ethics
Document Summary
[the exam will consist of one essay question (prompt tbd by the instructor). An argument is any attempt to convince others that some belief is true. If the conclusion follows logically from the premises, it"s valid. If it remains true when mapped onto what is already known about the world, it is sound. Also, persuasiveness is a mark of a good argument. An ethical theory is a tool for determining if an action is good or not. Utilitarianism: produce the most happiness for the most people with the least amount of suffering possible. Kantian ethics: insofar as someone is rational, their rights must be respected and they must be treated as ends in themselves (never merely as means to your ends): explain peter singer"s argument for providing famine (global poverty) relief. Also, the distance between you and the affected country doesn"t matter. This falls under utilitarianism: explain christopher wellman"s argument for providing famine (global poverty) relief.
