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What is the main ethical distinction between Scenario 1 and Scenario 2 of the Trolley Problem?
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The main distinction is between actively pushing someone to their death (Scenario 2) versus redirecting a moving object that will cause someone's death (Scenario 1).
What ethical questions arise from considering fairness, such as a lottery for moral decisions?
Does a fair procedure or random selection justify morally questionable outcomes, such as deciding who lives or dies?
Describe consequentialist moral reasoning with an example from the Trolley Problem.
Consequentialist moral reasoning judges actions based on their outcomes; for example, redirecting the trolley to kill one person and save five, prioritizing the greater good.
What moral conflict is presented in the case of 'The Queen vs. Dudley and Stephens'?
The conflict is whether it was morally justified for Dudley and Stephens to kill and eat Parker to survive, balancing survival necessity against the intrinsic immorality of murder.
In the context of the Trolley Problem, why might genocide or totalitarian actions be a counterpoint to consequentialist reasoning?
Because consequentialist reasoning supports actions that achieve the greatest good for the majority, it can theoretically justify extreme actions like genocide if they serve the perceived greater good.
According to Jeremy Bentham's principle of utilitarianism, what should the moral consideration be?
The moral consideration should be to maximize utility, which means achieving the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.
What are some risks associated with studying moral philosophy?
It can challenge and unsettle personal and political beliefs, leading to discomfort and skepticism as it encourages critical examination of established norms.
In moral philosophy, what significance does consent hold in evaluating the morality of an act?
Consent can transform the moral evaluation of actions because it involves voluntary agreement, potentially legitimizing actions that would otherwise be deemed immoral.
What moral dilemma is presented in Scenario 1 of the Trolley Problem?
The dilemma is whether the driver of a trolley car should switch tracks to kill one worker and save five others, despite the action seeming ethically questionable.
In Scenario 2 of the Trolley Problem, why do the majority of people feel morally worse about pushing the fat man?
Because it involves a direct action of physically pushing someone to their death, which feels intrinsically more immoral than redirecting a moving trolley.
What is the ultimate goal of the moral philosophy course?
To critically examine moral and political philosophy, awakening students' reason and encouraging them to question and think deeply about ethical issues.
What are the main schools of thought in moral philosophy discussed?
Utilitarianism, which seeks the greatest overall happiness, and categoricalism, which holds that some acts are inherently wrong regardless of their consequences.
What is categorical moral reasoning and how does it apply to the Trolley Problem?
Categorical moral reasoning judges actions based on their intrinsic morality rather than outcomes; for example, pushing the fat man feels wrong because it directly involves killing an innocent person.
What key philosophical question is raised about murder in moral reasoning?
Why is murder categorically wrong, regardless of the circumstances and outcomes?
Why does the class poll find Dudley and Stephens guilty in the case discussed?
The class found them guilty because, despite their necessity argument, the intrinsic morality of murder was judged as categorically wrong.
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