Study Questions 4
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Philosophy
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Dec 6, 2023
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Study Questions 4.1
After reading
Ethics for Dummies,
by Panza & Potthast, chapter 8, provide written answers to
the following questions.
Please give complete answers in complete sentences.
1. What is a moral principle?
How does it differ from a moral rule?
Moral principles are laws people apply to themselves to make sure they’re doing the
right thing. This differs from moral rules because moral rules are rules on how to live
your life that we’re pushed onto you by somebody else.
2. What is
practical reason?
Practical reason is the ability to set ends for yourself.
3. What is the difference between acting from
duty
and acting from
inclination?
Acting from duty is being motivated by principles that were forged by practical reason.
While acting from inclination is being motivated by what you normally do. It’s a more
natural habit.
4. What is the difference between acting in accord with duty and acting from duty?
(Use the
honest shopkeeper as an example.)
Acting in accord with duty is unethical; when you act with duty this means whatever
meets your needs comes first. Acting from duty means your actions are based off ethical
morals.
5. What is the difference between
heteronomy
and
autonomy?
What is the connection
between living ethically and living free?
Autonomy is the ability to make your own decisions, while heteronomy is the ability to
let nature make the decisions for you. Being free and living ethically are connected by
free will, you choose to act/behave ethically without freewill.
6. What is a
maxim?
Maxim is the principal behind actions.
7. What is an
imperative?
What is the difference between a
hypothetical imperative
and the
categorical imperative?
An imperative is the principle you have to follow. The difference between categorial
imperative and hypnotical imperative is that hypnotic imperative is uniquely based on
the individual when it comes to a goal, while categorial imperative is applied to
everybody no matter the goal.
8. What is the
Formula of Universal Law?
Explain what it means.
The formula of Universal Law is a law that argues that you should only act on something
that everybody else could act on as well. Hold everybody, including yourself, to equal
standards
9. What is a
universalizability test?
(NOTE: Panza & Potthast misspell it!)
The universalizability test goes into the formula of universal law, which argues that
everything should have equal standards and morally passable.
10. What is the
Formula of Humanity?
Explain what it means.
Formula of humanity is a formula that argues that we should always try and treat people
with respect and never as a means.
11. What is a kingdom of ends?
How is the
Formula of the Kingdom of Ends
related to the two
previous formulas?
The kingdom of ends a utopian idea where everybody is rational beings that respect
everybody else’s choices. This is related to the two previous theories because it bleeds
into the idea of this society.
12. What do Panza & Potthast say is the difference between
perfect duties
and
imperfect
duties?
(NOTE: In trying to simplify the distinction, they may miss what is essential.
Note later
how Mill characterizes the difference.)
Perfect duties are duties you must act on to live a moral life. Imperfect duties are that
are only required of you some of the time to live a moral life.
13. How does the Formula of Universal Law help distinguish perfect from imperfect duties?
(NOTE: Panza & Potthast do a pretty good job with this.)
14. What is one of the four examples of specific duties Kant uses, and how does violating it also
violate the categorical imperative?
15. Why might it be a problem that duties in Kantian ethics are unconditional?
The problem with this is that in certain situations this would be completely unethical or
irrational.
16. Why might it be a problem that Kantian ethics focuses on rationality (and rational beings)?
This can become a problem because it’s not leaving enough room for feelings and
emotions.
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