FINAL EXAM, PHIL 101, MAY, 2003

DIRECTIONS: CHOOSE 3 AND ONLY 3 OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS and prepare to write answers for the final exam. You must answer the question from PART "A", and AT LEAST ONE from PART "B". You may bring an outline. Choose your questions to show the depth and variety of your knowledge and avoid duplication. You will have two hours to write your answers.

PART A

1)        Choose one of the statements (A or B) of political leaders quoted below, and decide whether that statement is right, morally speaking, comparing the views of at least 4 of the following authors Moore, Kant, Nietzsche, Engels, Powers, Beveridge, Locke, Mao, and Wilson, and giving your own view.

A. The following question and answer came from an interview with U. S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright on the T. V. show "60 Minutes", May 12, 1996:

Question from Lesley Stahl: speaking of US economic sanctions against Iraq, which had been in place for 5 years: "We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And -- and you know, is the price worth it?"

Answer from Madeline Albright: "I think this is a very hard choice, but the price -- we think the price is worth it."

(You should assume that the civilian causalities are not all the outcome of military action, like bombing water reservoirs and power plants, but result to a large degree from sanctions that prevented Iraq from buying food and medicine in adequate quantities. Note also that Albright does not dispute the numbers, which come from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Agency, December, 1995.)

B. Referring to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, carried out by Hutu political forces which had previously been armed and trained by the French government, French President Mitterand said to an associate in the summer of 1994,

           “In those countries, a genocide is not too important.” (Le Figaro, 1/12/1998)

(Presumably "those countries" refers to the countries of Central Africa.)

PART B

2)        Explain why conflicts between capitalists and workers on the one hand, and conflicts within the capitalist class on the other, produce the following tendencies (according to the Communist Manifesto): (a) technical progress in manufacturing methods; (b) expansion abroad; (c) depressions and recessions. (Note that you are not being asked how these things produce conflicts but how they result from conflicts)

3)        Explain Rousseau’s theory that people develop only those capacities which they need to meet their needs. What is this theory supposed to explain? What evidence does he give for this claim? Why is this claim an important element of Rousseau's reply to those who say that some people are naturally superior to others? Under what conditions is social (which he calls "moral" or "political") inequality justified, according to Rousseau?

PART C

(4)       "Although there is no guarantee that doing the right thing will always benefit you, trying to do what is morally right will give you the best chance for a satisfying life." Discuss this position, making reference to at least 2 writers studied in this course, not necessarily authors who agree with this view. State whether you agree with the statement yourself, and briefly explain why.

(5)       Explain why some cases of exploitation may be morally right according to utilitarianism, and why a very unequal distribution of income is not likely to be morally right according to utilitarianism.

(6)      Choose two authors studied in this course and compare and contrast their views on the morality of racial discrimination. Be sure to indicate whether anyone is benefitted by his own immoral conduct according to each author. Critically evaluate each view.

(7)      Describe and evaluate Locke's argument that one might rightfully acquire an unlimited amount of private property. Why don't the great wealth of those who have it violate the rights of the poor?

(8)       Compare and contrast Locke and the Communist Manifesto on the nature and purposes of government or the "state".

(9)       Choose two arguments discussed in this course but not described elsewhere in your final, and give an outline and critical evaluation of them. Let one argument be the argument which was the strongest or most changed your previous opinion, and the other the worst or least convincing argument.