John Rawls concept of “Justice as Fairness.”

John Rawls concept of “Justice as Fairness.”

1. Choose three of the following topics:

1. Hume, Bentham and Mill all argue that emotions play a significant role in our moral judgments.

1. What role do emotions play in each one of these philosophers’ ethical views?
2. How do these philosophers define terms such as “good” and “evil”; “right” and “wrong”?
3. What is the standard of morality for each one of these philosophers?
4. How do these philosophers arrive at their standards?
5. Critically evaluate these philosophers’ ethical views indicating their strengths and weaknesses.

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

2. Discuss Kant’s Moral Philosophy.

1. What is the source of morality in Kant’s view?
2. Are there absolute moral standards in Kant’s view?
3. If so, what are they? If not, why not?[unique_solution]
4. Is there a relationship between Kant’s moral philosophy and his retributivism?
5. Critically evaluate Kant’s moral philosophy, indicating its strengths and weaknesses.

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

3. How are Psychological Egoism and Ethical Egoism related to each other?

1. What are the similarities and differences between these two theories?
2. To what extent does the theory of Psychological Egoism allow freedom of the will to function?
3. How would an Ethical Egoist evaluate seemingly altruistic actions?
4. Critically evaluate these theories indicating their strengths and weaknesses.

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

4. Discuss the Theory of Ethical Subjectivism.

1. What is the distinction between “Simple Subjectivism” and “Emotivism?”
2. What is the distinction between “reporting” one’s attitude and “expressing” one’s attitude?
3. Is it possible to have moral disagreements within the framework of ethical subjectivism?
4. Are there any moral facts according to ethical subjectivism?
5. Critically evaluate the theory of ethical subjectivism.

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

5. Describe the theory of ethical relativism.

1. What is the correlation between “ethical relativism” and “cultural relativism?”
2. What is the importance of tolerance, culture, majority, praise, or blame in cultural relativism?
3. What role does multiculturalism play in cultural relativism?
4. Critically evaluate the theory of cultural relativism.

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

6. Discuss Virtue Ethics.

1. How does Aristotle explain what virtues are?
2. What are the four cardinal virtues of ancient Greece and how are they achieved?
3. What is the distinction between virtues such as generalized beneficence and justice and concern for family and friends?
4. Are the virtues the same for everyone?
5. Critically evaluate virtue ethics including its strengths and weaknesses.

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

1. Choose one of the following topics:

1. Discuss John Rawls concept of “Justice as Fairness.”

1. How does Rawls explain the concept of the original position?
2. What are the principles that people in the original position would agree on?
3. In what sense is “Justice as Fairness” an alternative to Utilitarianism?
4. Critically evaluate Rawls theory of “Justice as Fairness”?

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

2. In his article, “Fifty Years After Hiroshima,” John Rawls argues that the atomic bombing of Hiroshima was a great wrong.

1. Reconstruct in your own words why Rawls thinks that the bombing of Hiroshima was a “great wrong.”
2. How does Rawls distinguish between a politician and a statesman?
3. What were the reasons used by the U.S.A. to justify the bombing of Hiroshima?
4. What are your views of the bombing of Hiroshima?

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

3. Discuss Bertrand Russell’s views on “Sexual Ethics.”

1. What are Russell’s views on monogamy?
2. Russell states that there is a conflict between an impulse to jealousy and the impulse to polygamy. What does this conflict consist of?  What are its effects?
3. What are Russell’s views on the sexual education of children?
4. What are your views on sexual ethics?

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)

4. Discuss Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

1. How does Martin Luther King Jr. support “direct action”?
2. Why is Martin Luther King Jr. no longer willing to wait?
3. How does King distinguish between just laws and unjust laws?
4. Do you think that Martin Luther King Jr. has achieved his goals as stated in the letter? Why?  Why not?

(Give coherent arguments in support of your answers.)