PHIL 410: End of Class Questions
March 31, 2008: Talbott thinks that the authors of the Declaration of Independence made a mistake. What is the mistake? Why did they make it, according to Talbott?
April 2, 2008: What is the moral problem with the Hobbesian theory of negative liberty—the theory of maximal negative liberty? In your answer, make it clear that you understand what negative liberty is.
April 4, 2008: What is the
example of Bert and Alfred intended to show?
Explain.
April 7, 2008: In the desert island example, is it permissible to punish the murderer? If so, how? If not, why not?
April 9, 2008: Explain the difference between belief-mediated and non-belief-mediated distress.
April 11, 2008: You are the doctor who cut up one innocent person who did want to be cut up in order to prevent the Mafia from cutting up your five family members. Does the family of the innocent person have a claim against you? Explain.
April 14, 2008: Is the Libertarian Thesis true? Explain.
April 16, 2008: What is Mill's "simple principle"?
April 18, 2008: What make Mill's epistemology non-individualistic? Explain.
April 21, 2008: In your opinion, is the unexamined life not worth living? Explain.
April 23, 2008: What does Hayek mean by "knowledge"?
April 25, 2008: Mill makes one exception to his argument against legal paternalism. What is the one exception? (Hint: He says we cannot allow someone the freedom to give up his freedom.)
April 28, 2008: What are the two moral powers? Explain them.
April 30, 2008: Original Position assignment.
May 2, 2008: Which sub-part of which review question do you not want on the midterm exam?
May 7, 2008: What does Rawls mean by a fully adequate scheme of basic liberties?
May 12, 2008: Why don't Mill's arguments for freedom of thought and discussion imply that everyone has a right to spend as much as they want on political advertising?
May 14, 2008: Use an example to explain "malicious truth".
May 16, 2008: Explain why laws against defamation are not covered by clause of (a) of Scanlon's Principle.
May 19, 2008: What is the Volenti maxim?
May 21, 2008: Is strong paternalism toward adults in the full possession of their faculties ever justified?
May 23, 2008: There are two differences between Dworkin I's test for soft paternalism and Feinberg's test for weak paternalism. Explain one of them.
May 28, 2008: Explain the diagram in figure 3 of the Talbott reading, page 66 of the reader. Explain why it is a diagram of a case in which the future gratitude condition is satisfied, but it is not weak paternalism.
May 30, 2008: Use an example to explain what Talbott means by the majority spillover effect.
June 2: 2008: Which is worse, someone with less than 6 months to live involuntarily ending their life or someone with less than 6 months left to live being forced to stay alive when they want to die? Explain.
June 4, 2008: Will you agree to enter into a perpetual contract of slavery to me? If anyone is willing to voluntarily enter into such a contract, should it be legally enforceable? Explain.
June 6, 2008: Does your current self endorse my use of end of class questions in this course? Have they been good for you? Explain.