Phil 107

Philosophy Final Study Guide

Plato’s Republic

* Allegory of the Cave

* Metaphor for kind of education Plato has in mind

* Ascent to get out of the cave and highest level is attained when a person’s rational desires are the ones with the strongest influence

* Justice is nothing more than what the powerful say it is

* Socrates - Powerful control education and socialization make laws that are in their own interests and make sure that people follow these rules

* Glaucon – doesn’t agree justice is something that is good in itself no matter the rewards or consequences. Since we all suffer from each other’s injustices, we make a social contract to be just. Justice is something done out of fear and weakness.

* Myth of Gyges = LOTR

* Glaucon – thinks people would behave unjustly if they had the ring because there are no consequences to him doing so. The just and unjust person would behave in the same way cause they can get away with it.

* Socrates – justice is NOT a mere convention. It’s an intrinsically valuable state of character and just person has a better life. Acting morally/doing the right thing is a valuable state of character

1. Evidence – person who acts morally lives a more flourishing/fulfilling life

Week 2

* Trolley problem – switch track = save people, but only 1 person dies.

* Metaethics – where our ethical principles come from, what they mean and the kind of knowledge we can have about what is right and wrong

* Nihilism – morality is a sham and no moral reasons @ all

* Objectivism – objective moral facts and that ethical judgments can be T/F independent of moral opinions that people happen to hold

* Cultural relativism – morality relative to culture. Morality of act can only be judged based on the societal standards

* Descriptive – observable fact that behavior that is considered acceptable by one community may be condemned by another...