Philosophy 433	History of Ethics		Darwall		Winter 2000

FINAL EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS

1.	Bearing in mind the various aspects of Hume's account of justice, write a critical evaluation, 
from Hume's point of view, of Hobbes's treatment of morality as based on a mutual covenant.  
Where would Hume agree; where would he disagree; and why?  Then defend Hobbes as best you 
can against whatever criticisms Hume might make. 

2.  Discuss how damaging to Kant are Hume's arguments that morality can neither be based on, nor 
be discovered by, reason.

3.  The notion of utility and/or the happiness of all appear, in one way or another, in the writings of 
Hutcheson, Hume, and Bentham.  Describe and critically assess the different and distinctive roles 
these ideas have in the moral philosophy of each writer.

4.  Compare, contrast, and critically evaluate the way Kant connects the ideas of freedom and the 
moral law and the way Rousseau relates "moral liberty" and the general will.

5.  Critically evaluate Nietzsche's thesis that the distinctive moral ideas of good and evil are 
sustained only by the envy and hatred of the weak.  Is there a philosophical account of these ideas 
we have studied this semester that has any plausibility at all as a defense of morality against 
Nietzsche's attack?

6.  How does Butler argue against psychological egoism?  How might a defender of psychological 
egoism, say, Hobbes, best respond to Butler's arguments?  What would be Butler's best reply?  
Does it matter for ethics whether Butler is right?

7.  As a Christian moralist, Butler would seem to be a target of Nietzsche's critique.  Compose the 
best defense Butler could give to these criticisms.  Critically adjudicate this debate.