1) What principle of equality between humans and animals does Singer adopt, and how does he argue for it?
2) On what grounds does Steinbock argue that humans have “a different moral status from members of other species,” such that giving preference to humans’ interest is not speciesist?
3) Many philosophers have argued that humans have a higher moral status than other animals based on our unique capacity for rationality. Norcross claims all such arguments fail on at least two reasons. Carefully recount one of these.
4) Pollan argues that “what’s wrong with animal agriculture–with eating animals–is the practice, not the principle.” Why does Pollan believe that raising an animal for consumption can be in the animal’s best interest, and hence consistent with Singer’s principle of equality?
How to Use These Study Questions: Two of the following questions will be on the final exam. You are encouraged to write out answers ahead of time, so that when it comes time to take the exam, you can simply cut and paste them into the appropriate boxes. One to three paragraphs should suffice for each question. I will reward conciseness and clarity. Be sure to use your own words, and not answer using direct quotes or close paraphrases:
1) What principle of equality between humans and animals does Singer adopt, and how does he argue for it?
2) On what grounds does Steinbock argue that humans have “a different moral status from members of other species,” such that giving preference to humans’ interest is not speciesist?
3) Many philosophers have argued that humans have a higher moral status than other animals based on our unique capacity for rationality. Norcross claims all such arguments fail on at least two reasons. Carefully recount one of these.
4) Pollan argues that “what’s wrong with animal agriculture–with eating animals–is the practice, not the principle.” Why does Pollan believe that raising an animal for consumption can be in the animal’s best interest, and hence consistent with Singer’s principle of equality?
Final Exam Study Questions
How to Use These Study Questions: Four of the following questions will be on the final exam (two from the population readings, and two from the consumption readings). You are encouraged to write out answers ahead of time, so that when it comes time to take the exam, you can simply cut and paste them into the appropriate boxes. One to three paragraphs should suffice for each question. I will reward conciseness and clarity. Be sure to use your own words, and not answer using direct quotes or close paraphrases. The relevant author or source is either names in the question itself, or listed in parentheses at the end of each question:
1. Explain the concept of a population momentum, and how population pyramids are used to illustrate it. Why is the planet’s population all but guaranteed to grow by billions more even if, starting tomorrow, the total fertility rate went down to just replacement levels?
2. Describe the four stages of classic demographic transition theory, illustrating each stage with reference to a country currently in that stage.
3. Explain some of the ways empowering women simultaneously lowers birth rates.Final Exam Study Questions
How to Use These Study Questions: Four of the following questions will be on the final exam (two from the population readings, and two from the consumption readings). You are encouraged to write out answers ahead of time, so that when it comes time to take the exam, you can simply cut and paste them into the appropriate boxes. One to three paragraphs should suffice for each question. I will reward conciseness and clarity. Be sure to use your own words, and not answer using direct quotes or close paraphrases. The relevant author or source is either names in the question itself, or listed in parentheses at the end of each question:
1. Explain the concept of a population momentum, and how population pyramids are used to illustrate it. Why is the planet’s population all but guaranteed to grow by billions more even if, starting tomorrow, the total fertility rate went down to just replacement levels?
2. Describe the four stages of classic demographic transition theory, illustrating each stage with reference to a country currently in that stage.
3. Explain some of the ways empowering women simultaneously lowers birth rates.
Be sure to use your own words, and not answer using direct quotes or close paraphrases:
1) Briefly describe the four kinds of pacifism Lackey outlines. Then recount how Lackey argues that even World War II might not have produced enough moral good to justify its killings.
2) Recount Calhoun’s arguments that terrorists can use the same “just war” principles used in conventional military operations to justify their actions. Illustrate with an example or two.
3) What moral principle does Nagel claim terrorists violate that distinguishes their killings from the unintended deaths of innocent bystanders in conventional war?
4) Explain how, according to Luban, the new hybrid model of state action in the War on Terrorism eliminates the rights of both adversaries and civilians. What elements of the standard war model and civilian criminal law have been combined to generate this hybrid?
Readings from the book of: Contemporay Moral Problems(James E. White)
