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PHI 105 - DeMarneffe (Exam 4)Graded A+, Exams of Science education

PHI 105 - DeMarneffe (Exam 4)Graded A+

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PHI 105 - DeMarneffe (Exam 4)Graded A+
What does Kant mean by the "essential ends of humanity"? How, according to him, is chronic
drunkenness incompatible with these ends? - correct answer • The essential ends of humanity are
primarily the development and exercise of our rational capacities.
• If we spend our life in drunkenness then we are not exercising and developing our rational capacities.
It interferes.
If by "the essential ends of humanity" Kant means the development and exercise of our rational
capacities, why is it less obvious that prostitution is incompatible with these ends than that suicide or
chronic drunkenness is? - correct answer • Drunkenness and suicide are more obvious because they
are mental opposed to prostitution, which is more physical.
Identify two different ways in which prostitution might be incompatible with the essential ends of
humanity are understood a bit differently. - correct answer 1. Both parties participating in prostitution
are treating it as instrumental
Interferes with the person's capacity to love
Love and compassion- higher human capacity
2. Incompatible with the duty we have to ourselves
Failing to treat someone with the proper amount of respect
Something disrespectful about prostitution (paying someone for sex)
What, in general, is existentialism, according to Sartre? - correct answer • The view that existence
comes before essence
Why, offhand, does existentialism on this interpretation seem incoherent given the standard
metaphysical understanding of "essence"? - correct answer • A thing's essence lies in whatever
properties it must have in order for it to exist
What we need in order to exist
• The essence is something a thing must have in order to exist therefore a thing cannot exist before its
essence
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PHI 105 - DeMarneffe (Exam 4)Graded A+

What does Kant mean by the "essential ends of humanity"? How, according to him, is chronic drunkenness incompatible with these ends? - correct answer • The essential ends of humanity are primarily the development and exercise of our rational capacities.

  • If we spend our life in drunkenness then we are not exercising and developing our rational capacities. It interferes. If by "the essential ends of humanity" Kant means the development and exercise of our rational capacities, why is it less obvious that prostitution is incompatible with these ends than that suicide or chronic drunkenness is? - correct answer • Drunkenness and suicide are more obvious because they are mental opposed to prostitution, which is more physical. Identify two different ways in which prostitution might be incompatible with the essential ends of humanity are understood a bit differently. - correct answer 1. Both parties participating in prostitution are treating it as instrumental Interferes with the person's capacity to love Love and compassion- higher human capacity
    1. Incompatible with the duty we have to ourselves Failing to treat someone with the proper amount of respect Something disrespectful about prostitution (paying someone for sex) What, in general, is existentialism, according to Sartre? - correct answer • The view that existence comes before essence Why, offhand, does existentialism on this interpretation seem incoherent given the standard metaphysical understanding of "essence"? - correct answer • A thing's essence lies in whatever properties it must have in order for it to exist What we need in order to exist
  • The essence is something a thing must have in order to exist therefore a thing cannot exist before its essence

On what interpretation of "human essence" does existentialism make sense? - correct answer • As a kind of function (Aristotle)

  • Before we have a function, we exist.
  • We do not come with a function and in order to give ourselves a function we must first exist. Why does Sartre think that atheism entails existentialism? Does it on the standard interpretation of essence? Why or why not? Does it on the alternative interpretation? Why or why not? - correct answer
  • Because if there is not God, then human essence cannot precede human existence On the standard interpretation of essence this is not possible, but the non-existence of God does not entail that something can exist before it's essence ,which is impossible. Therefore atheism cannot entail existentialism.
  • If there is no God we have no function or purpose before we exist, and any function or purpose we must give to ourselves. Sartre seems to infer from the premise that essence does not precede existence that existence precedes essence. What, if anything, is wrong with this interference? - correct answer • It is possible that they necessarily coexist (a thing's essence and existence) What, according to Sartre, is the "first principle of existentialism"? - correct answer • It is that man is nothing else than that which he makes of himself. According to existentialism, value is subjective in one sense, but not another. Explain. - correct answer
  • It's created by human activity Nothing is of value independent of human attitudes and actions
  • The metaphysical grounding of value is human action and attitudes
  • Subjectivism: an action is wrong for a person only if he believes it is wrong and an action is right for a person only if he believes it is right.
  • According to subjectivism, if someone believes torturing/murdering/slavery/genocide is right, then it would be right.
  • But we know it is objectively wrong to do things like this.
  • Value is not subjective when it comes to human life

How, given his position in Euthyphro, would Socrates disagree with Sartre on the nature of value? - correct answer • "Is something good because the gods love it, or do the gods love it because it is good?" According to Socrates, things can just be good. Value is independent of attitudes. He would disagree. How does Nietzsche distinguish the moral systems of good/bad and good/evil? What names does he give these moral systems? Which came first, and how did the other arise? - correct answer • Greek connotation: Good=excellent which is used to distinguish those who are excellent versus those who are mediocre. And Bad would be untalented, ugly, etc.

  • Those who were considered "bad" were upset about this value system and came up with an alternative value system. (slave morality)
  • The Good= weak, meek, humble
  • The Evil= powerful, rich, strong St. Paul: those who are like Jesus and his disciples are good, while others are considered evil.
  • Nietzsche wants to say that the new value system is not beneficial because it leads us to believe that mediocrity is good while excellence is evil.
  • Master morality arose first and slave morality arose second, and slave morality is bad because it is not beneficial because it leads us to believe that mediocrity is good while excellence is evil. What, according to Nietzsche, should humanity ultimately aim for in actions? - correct answer • He thinks that only a small minority of people have potential of being truly excellent and that society should work to produce and enhance the most excellent from those who already show the potential for the most excellence. What, according to Nietzsche, are the necessary social conditions for human flourishing and excellence?
  • correct answer • We must reject slave morality and put master morality in its place. Nietzsche thinks that basic moral principles such as not to harm others, not to lie, cheat, steal, to treat others fairly, and so on, are appropriate under some situations and a disaster under others. Explain. - correct answer • We should understand that all men are not created equal, because when one thinks this, it stifles human excellence. What is "life", according to Nietzsche? What, specifically, is "death"? - correct answer • Death is the denial of will to power and life is the will to power.

He thinks that christianity is the denial of the will to power and is therefore a form of death. Using St. Paul's Exhortation and the Prayer of St. Francis as your basis for judgment, evaluate whether or not Nietzsche is right to suggest that acceptance of Christianity-"slave morality"-is incompatible with the full development of the human potential for creativity. - correct answer • The notion of slave morality that Nietzsche puts forth suggests that Christianity hinders the capacity for human growth to that of the aforementioned traits (meekness, destitution, etc) but St. Paul's Exhortation acknowledges that each of us has some unique thing to offer humanity, unlimited by the associations Nietzsche makes with Christianity. How does Socrates' view of the value to a person of acting justly differ fundamentally from that of Nietzsche? - correct answer • Socrates believes that by acting justly, you benefit yourself because justice is intrinsically good for us. Nietzsche disagrees because he thinks that if people are constantly concerned with justice they will not fully develop their higher capacities. He thinks justice only has instrumental value because people need peace and stability to develop their higher capacities.

  • Nietzsche believes that justice has only instrumental value and that the masters should not feel any obligation to act justly towards the slaves because it does not do them any good/benefit them. Identify one way in which Plato's view is similar to Nietzsche's and one way in which it is different. - correct answer • They agree that humans should be ruled by the best among us and that society should be constructed so as to foster human excellence.
  • They disagree on the value of justice. How does Leibniz state the problem of evil in "Objection 1"? - correct answer OBJECTION I
  • Whoever does not choose the best course is lacking either in power, or knowledge, or goodness.
  • God did not choose the best course in creating this world. Therefore God was lacking in power, or knowledge, or goodness. ANSWER I deny the minor, that is to say, the second premiss of this syllogism, and the opponent proves it by this PROSYLLOGISM
  • Whoever makes things in which there is evil, and which could have been made without any evil, or need not have been made at all, does not choose the best course.

only via biological process like natural selection. Now explain why, given these assumptions, this might in fact be the best of all possible worlds. - correct answer º Humans are unique in their capacity for reasoning

  • It is remarkable that anything in a world has consciousness let alone rationality.
  • Humans have evil traits
  • If the system does not operate according to the laws of physics it does not exist, this puts a limit on what God can do because the only process in which humans can come into existence according to the laws of physics (no physically impossible miracles)
  • If you accept this, then this is the best world, because there is not a way to bring humans about without these tendencies. Lao Tzu makes a distinction between "the named" and "the nameless". What other features of these two things does he mention? Which is best identified with ultimate reality, which with appearance? Which with the finite, which with the infinite? which with change and which with the unchanging? Which with the one, which with the many? - correct answer NAMELESS NAMED Ultimate reality Appearance One Many Unchanging Changing Infinite Finite
    • Ultimate reality preceded the appearance of this reality.
    • God would be considered NAMELESS.
  • Rid yourself of desires in order to observe the NAMELESS, but allow yourself to have desires in order to observe the NAMED. After distinguishing "the named" and "the nameless" Lao Tzu writes: "Hence always rid yourself of desires in order to observe its secrets." Why does he advise ridding oneself of desires in order to observe "its secrets"? - correct answer • Because our desires are for the named, our desires focus our attention on the named and away from the nameless. Therefore we must rid ourselves of our desires in order to observe the nameless. Lao Tzu writes: "The sage keeps to the deed that consists in taking no action and practices the teaching that uses no words." What does he mean? - correct answer -The teaching that uses no words = Teaching through one's actions -The deed that consists in taking to action = Accepting reality as it is and doing nothing to change it
  • an action is an attempt to change the world in order to achieve some purpose or goal
  • The sage= Someone who accepts how the world is •Therefore living a life that avoids trying to change the world Lao Tzu writes: "The way never acts yet nothing is left undone." Why does "the way" never act? Why is nothing left undone? - correct answer • The way = the way of nature. How a wise person will act.
  • A person who is living ideally, according to the way, accepts things as they are and does not try to change things.
  • Nothing is left undone if everything is as it should be.
  • Therefore there is no need to change anything.
  • If this is the best of all possible worlds then everything is as it should be. Why does it make sense to think that everything is as it should be, if everything that happens happens necessarily and "ought" implies "can"? - correct answer • Everything that happens happens necessarily = this is the only possible world.
  • If this is the only possible world then everything that happens happens necessarily.
  • It's true that things should be different only if they are able to be different
  • If everything that happens happens necessarily then it can't be different therefore it is false that they ought to be different. Lao Tzu writes: "The man of highest virtue does not keep to virtue and that is why he has virtue." Explain. - correct answer • The man of the highest virtue does not focus on acting virtuously, but simply acts and is virtuous in his actions.
  • While the man of the lowest virtue is always struggling and trying to figure out what the most virtuous act would be. Lao Tzu distinguishes a number of character types: benevolence, rectitude, virtue, and attachment to rites. Explain what each is. What is the best way to be once "the way" is lost? What is the next-best? The worst? The next worst? - correct answer º Ideally we want to act in accordance with the way (doing everything completely naturally and without thought)
  • Benevolence: doing something for its own sake and not for anything else • Rectitude: doing something because it is required.

If lost: loss of power, riches and glory (death)

  • The reward would not justify the death and suffering of the army. How does Krishna respond to Arjuna's doubts and why does this response seem unreasonable? - correct answer • Given the catastrophic consequences, his doubts seem justified. If he didn't have these doubts he would seem to be a bad person Does it follow from the fact that Arjuna is a general and that it is the role of a general to lead his troops into battle that Arjuna should lead his troops into battle? Why or why not? - correct answer • No it does not follow, whether or not he leads his troops into battle is dependent on other reasons outside of him being a general. He might know the cause is unjust, he might know he might lose. Why does Arjuna think he should not fight if he applies the principles of renunciation and non- attachment to his situation? - correct answer • renounce desire for worldly goods and
  • As a general it is his duty to lead his troops into battle which is allowed by renunciation
  • If he applies the principle of non attachment correctly then he should think "I should just do my duty and not worry about the consequences" Why does Krishna think that Arjuna should fight if he properly applies the principles of renunciation and non-attachment to his situation? - correct answer •He should not worry about the bad consequences because it is his duty to lead them into battle. How does Krishna's advice differ from that of Substance and Shadow? How is it similar to Spirit's solution? How is it different? - correct answer • Krishna's advice is that one should do one's duty which is different than all 3.
  • It is similar to spirit since it is arguably an interpretation (specification) of the "go with the flow" philosophy. List and describe the 4 noble truths of suffering? - correct answer • All life involves suffering (noble truth of suffering)
  • What causes us to suffer is our unfulfilled desires (worldly desires) (the noble truth of the origin of suffering)
  • Therefore once we stop desiring these worldly goods we will stop suffering (the noble truth of the cessation of suffering)
  • The 8 fold path (the noble truth of the path to the cessation of suffering)
  • The path one takes to stop their suffering by ceasing desires List and explain all the elements of the Eightfold Path (look this up) (go to page 112 of Hinayana and Mahayana Scriptures) - correct answer Right outlook of the Eightfold is to know suffering, its origin, cessation, and the path that leads to the cessation. Right resolves are the resolve to renounce the world and do no hurt or harm Right speech is to abstain from lies and slander, from revealing, and from tattle. Right acts are to abstain from taking life, from stealing, and from lechery Right livelihood is that by which the disciple for the Noble One supports himself, to the exclusion of wrong modes of livelihood. Right endeavor is when an almsman brings his will to bear, puts forth endeavor and energy, struggles and strives with all his heart, to stop bad and wrong qualities which have not yet arisen and finally to establish clarify, multiply, enlarge, develop, and perfect those good qualities which are there already. Right mindfulness is when realizing what the body is. what feelings are, what the heart is, and what the mental states are, an almsman dwells ardent, alert, and mindful, in freedom from the wants and discontents attendant on any of these things. Right rapture of concentration is when, divested of lusts and divested of wrong dispositions, an almsman develops, and dwells in, the first ecstasy with all its zest and satisfaction, a state bred of aloofness and not divorced from observation and reflection, he develops and dwells in inward serenity, in the focussing of hear, in the set and satisfaction of the second ecstasy. To the third and fourth ecstasies. Is it possible to attain Enlightenment solely through meditation? Why or why not? - correct answer No, You have to go through the step of right endeavors What is the no-self theory? What is the argument for this view? - correct answer There is no self. The self is an illusion. The self does not really exist The body is soulless If the bodies are the soul, his body would not be subject to sickness Self is identical to the soul - If there is no soul there is no self 2 assumptions
  • If the soul exists either it is identical to the body or it is identical to consciousness.
  • If the soul exists it is self determining - means that it determines its own states and it is not determined by any- thing external to it.