midterm exam, open book, summer 2021

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SENDING THE TEST 

When sending your assignment, please cut and paste my questions along with your answers in the body of the email! 

For questions with Explain, I need at least 40 words as an answer.

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ETHICS PART

1. Is there moral knowledge? Explain your answer from the evolutionary/historic point of view.

2. What does it mean to say that moral facts are "intersubjective"?

3. Is "holding a door to an old woman" a moral norm? Whether yes or no, explain your answer.

4. Tom comes from culture A professes cultural relativism and believes slavery is wrong, Theresa comes from culture B, professes cultural relativism and believes slavery is right. Is there a way for Tom to convince Theresa she is wrong?

5. The following question is based on this lecture.

Is the egoist capable of being benevolent to people? Whatever your answer EXPLAIN WHY  

CRITICAL THINKING PART

Necessary and sufficient conditions: 

1. If A is necessary condition for B, is B a sufficient condition for A? YES, NO

2. Suppose Alice loves John and John loves Alice. Is their mutual love a sufficient condition for the success of their relationship? YES, NO. 

3. A job requirement says "Qualified candidate must speak Spanish". If so, speaking Spanish is a _____ condition for getting the job. 

4. Identify the following fallacies: 

a) God does not exist because every argument for the existence of God has been shown to be unsound. 

b) Smoking causes cancer because my father was a smoker and he died of lung cancer. 

c) We have no evidence showing that he is innocent. So he must be guilty. 

5. If Bogota is north of Mexico and Mexico is north of Los Angeles, then Bogota is north is Los Angeles. Is this deductive argument valid? sound?  

6. Consider this argument:

Daffy Duck is a duck.

All ducks are mammals.

Therefore, Daffy Duck is a mammal.

Is the argument valid? sound? 

7. Of this inductive argument. Tell if they are strong or weak. 

The last fifty lottery tickets that Francis purchased have been losers. Therefore, the next one he buys is virtually certain to be a winner. 

8. Cause and effect. Mr. Ferguson is invited to Mr. Smith's party where is served seafood for dinner. When Mr. Ferguson goes back home he feels stomach pain and later has an attack of diarrhea. 

What conditions must be satisfied in order for us to say: "Smith's seafood caused Mr. Ferguson's stomach sickness".