Here is an example of the test:
1. Choose a narrative (e.g. a movie, play, novel, or short story) that you believe confronts important moral issues. Using the narrative as a basis of application, compare and contrast a Kantian and a utilitarian view of morality. Which perspective, do you believe, best captures the most important aspect of the moral life? In what ways do deontology and utilitarianism succeed or fail to resolve the moral issues in the narrative you have chosen? Can you suggest remedies to the theory as a means of surmounting such problems? (You must choose narratives not covered by Rosenstand. Be sure to explain the main principle(s) of both Kantianism and utilitarianism) 2. Recount the difference between positive and negative rights. Briefly explain Locke’s account of human rights. What human rights do you take to be important and why? What are some of the pros and cons of human rights talk? To show some of the complexities of the human rights debate, delve into the debate on either abortion or capital punishment. Where do you stand on the debate and why? 3. Explain Aristotle’s account of how to become virtuous (hint: be sure to discuss both the intellectual and moral virtues). Use one of the narratives from the book (e.g. As Good as it Gets) to discuss the topic of virtue, along with how it relates to Aristotle’s own notions of virtue being linked to functioning well. Do you tend to agree or disagree with Aristotle’s account and why or why not? Do men and women have a different set of moral virtues (as say Carol Gilligan argues in In a Different Voice? Unpack Gilligan’s account and discuss whether you tend to agree or disagree and why. 4. Explain why discrimination is problematic and why it violates current conceptions of justice. Be sure to describe what is meant by justice, along with at least one philosopher’s notion of justice as presented by Rosenstand. Using the film Crash or Philadelphia, delve into how issues of discrimination surface. Can and should laws be used to combat various types of discrimination? Why or why not? If some laws seem to increase discrimination, is it just to engage in civil disobedience? Why or why not? Be sure to define what is meant by civil disobedience. Is discrimination an ongoing problem in the United States? If so, what types do you believe are the most pressing? 5. Using Ruth Benedict as a launching pad, explain what ethical relativism is, while unpacking its various strengths and weaknesses. Does Walker’s “Possessing the Secret of Joy” stand as a refutation of ethical relativism? Why or why not? Do you think ethical relativism is defensible? Why or why not? Be sure to use specific examples to defend your stance. 6. Are humans psychological egoists or are humans capable of altruism (use Plato’s “Ring of Gyges” or Hobbes’ Leviathan as the main gateway here)? Or should humans be ethical egoists? Be sure to explain the difference between psychological and ethical egoism. Investigate Ayn Rand’s defense of ethical egoism, along with her attacks on altruism. Do you side with either theory? Why or why not? Choose a narrative to illustrate the pros and cons of the theory. 7. What does Phillip Hallie mean by evil? What does he mean by institut
