Ethics an Ethical Reasoning–and Some Basic Concepts in Critical Thinking

Chapter 1—Ethics an Ethical Reasoning–and Some Basic Concepts in Critical Thinking
Which of the following chapter topics belong to ‘normative ethics’ and not ‘metaethics’:
Religion and global Ethics
Utilitarianism and John Stuart Mill
Deontological Ethics and Immanuel Kant
d) Ethical Relativism
2) Why is this statement a normative judgment and not a descriptive claim:
“ Handouts are demeaning; nothing in this country should be free.”
3) Explain why this group of statements below is an argument and the underlined statement is its conclusion (2 questions here.)
(A driver speaks to a cop:) The accident was not my fault. How could it be? She hit me from the rear. Anytime you get rear-ended in the road, it’s not your fault.
4) Explain how the following argument commits the Strawman Fallacy (No credit for just defining Strawman fallacy):
Teens should be taught about contraception methods so they can practice safe sex should they choose to have intercourse. Proponents of sex education want to give kids a license to have sex with no consequences.
Chapter 2:

What best defines ‘inalienable rights’:
rights agreed upon by the majority of a nation
rights arbitrarily imposed by international organizations
human rights
all of the above
What is the cosmopolitan claim? Does Martin Luther King accept the claim? (Briefly defend your answer) Would the thinkers associated with the European Enlightenment accept the claim? (Briefly defend your answer) [3 questions here, answers without a brief defense will get no credit]
What would happen to morality if the holy is holy only because it is pleasing to God/the gods or if the moral is moral simply because the God of a religion commands it?

Religious pluralism and value pluralism are different in their approach to global diversity. Value pluralism believes we have many different religions that do not share anything in common while religious pluralism believes in finding common ethical ideas/values such as the ‘Golden Rule.’
True or False?

Religious fundamentalism is a reaction against compromising with modernity and secularism. True or False?

Secular humanistic reason can be as untrustworthy as religion. True or False? Defend your answer. Answering without a defense gets no credit.

Chapter 3—Ethical Relativism
Relativists justify their relativism by insisting on the value of tolerance and open-mindedness. But it can be argued that it actually undermines relativism. Explain how this could happen.

One of the disturbing implications/consequences of cultural ethical relativism relates to what we normally consider ‘moral opposites’ such as Hitler and Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Explain the disturbing consequence

One of the three absurd consequences that follow from subjective ethical relativism is that it presupposes a questionable view of the human. Explain that. Your explanation must include why it is a questionable view.(This is in the Notes and in the reading by Pojman, at the end of Ch. 3)

Chapter 4—Egoism, Altruism, and the Social Contract (There was no Study Guide on this. There was a quiz though.)

Why isn’t psychological egoism a good argument for ethical egoism?

One criticism of ethical egoism is that it supports a controversial laissez-faire capitalism. What is wrong with what laissez-faire capitalism believes?

How is the ‘moral point of view’ an argument against ethical egoism? (Could replace any low-scoring item above.)

Chapter 5—Utilitarianism and John Stuart Mill

Discuss two arguments in our eText and/or Notes against utilitarian ethics. How are these problems instantiated/shown in the film ‘Missing’ (video clips) or ‘the real Charles Horman’ or Chomsky’s talk on the first 9/11?
Cite 2 public policies or or government programs or laws that are justified by utilitarian principles.
That utilitarian ethics is majoritarian (it aims for the good of the greater number) and that it accepts how the majority defines that good or that ‘greater happiness’ is both a strength and a weakness. How could it be a strength and how could it be a weakness?