Philosophy 230 A

The class beginning at 12:10

Review Sheet for Test #3

Basic Ideas: The Fill in the Blank Section.

Know Singer’s thesis statement. Know van den Haag’s thesis statement. Know what strict retributivism is. Know Engel’s thesis statement. Know Pojman’s thesis statement.

Multiple Choice questions

Famine Relief

-Know the Minimally Decent Human Argument for Famine Relief.

Famine Relief—Singer

-Know Singer’s Argument for famine relief.

-Know how Singer’s Argument differs from the Minimally Decent Human Argument.

-Know the difference between absolute poverty and relative poverty.

-Know what the point of marginal utility is.

-Know that ought implies can.

Death Penalty—van den Haag

-Know the Deterrence Argument for the Death Penalty.

-Know what studies show about the death penalty deterring future murders.

-Know van den Haag’s common sense defense of the deterrence argument.

-Know the Strict Retributivist Argument for the Death Penalty.

-Know what a racist distribution is.

-Know why van den Haag doesn’t think worries about racist distributions or worries about executing innocent people undermine arguments for the death penalty.

Animal Rights—Engel.

-Know Engel’s Suffering Argument.

-Know Engel’s Environment Argument.

-Know how Engel’s argument is like the Minimally Decent Human Argument for Famine Relief.

-Know why Engel thinks that eating meat is not necessary.

Affirmative Action—Pojman.

-Know Pojman’s New Discrimination Argument.

-Know Pojman’s Principle of Merit Argument.

-Know the difference between strong and modest affirmative action.

Objections: The Short Answer Section.

Know the 3 objections to Singer: 1) The Overpopulation Objection, 2) The Locals First Objection, and 3) The Utilitarian Objection. Know the 3 objections to van den Haag: 1) The Burden of Proof Objection, 2) The Deterrence Objection, and 3) Bryan’s Mercy Argument Objection. Know the objection to Engel: The Ought Implies Can Objection. Know the objection to Pojman: The Status Quo Objection.

Multiple Choice

Famine Relief—Singer.

-All 3 objections to Singer are fair game here.

-Know the response to worries of overpopulation.

-Know the response to the locals first idea.

Death Penalty—van den Haag.

-All 3 objections to van den Haag are fair game here.

-Know the response to Bryan’s Mercy Argument.

-Know the four statement a potential murderer must believe for the death penalty to deter.

Animal Rights—Engel.

-The objection to Engel is fair game here.

-Know how Engel might respond to this objection.

Affirmative Action—Pojman.

-The objection to Pojman is fair game here.

-Know why Pojman’s New Discrimination Argument fails the inference test.

-Know why the phrase “It is not what you know; it is who you know” is a problem for Pojman.

Essay Question.

State your standard for being a minimally decent person. Apply your standard to one of issues we discussed in class.