Philosophy questions on Hobbes,Aristotle

1. According to Hobbes, what is the purpose of morality? (You might prefer to think of the question in terms of why Hobbes thinks it necessary to enter from a state of nature into civil society). Do you agree if Hobbes' "naturalistic" view of human nature? Why or why not? 2. What is moral objectivism? Moral relativism? Moral absolutism? What are “subjectivism” and “conventionalism”? Which one (or perhaps more than one) do you think provides the best basis for morality? Why? 3. Compare and contrast utilitarianism vs. deontological ethics. What are some criticisms of each? Conversely, what are some of their strong features (features that make each desirable as a foundation for ethics)? Which do you think is a more desirable or perhaps more realistic foundation for ethics? Why? 4. Discuss what Aristotle means by theoretical and practical knowledge and how these types of knowledge relate to intellectual and moral virtue. Discuss how the types of knowledge and virtue relate to his theory of virtue ethics in general. What is Frankena’s criticism of virtue based ethical systems? Do you think his criticism is justified, especially relative to Aristotle? 5. Do you think one could make the claim that Sartre’s existentialist ethics reconciles ethical subjectivism with at least a very weak form of objectivism? If yes, explain your answer (you might want to appeal to any similarities to Kantian ethics here although remember that Sartre says that Kant posits an "essence" that is before existence). If no, explain your answer. 6. What is the difference between an ethics of care and an ethics of justice? What is the difference between traditional conceptions of moral autonomy and the feminist’s conception? What do you think about the feminist account? Do you think that we need another conception of autonomy other than traditional conceptions? Why or why not?      

Sample Solution