Environmental Justice
1. You should have a basic understanding of the terms ‘valid’ and ‘sound’ and be able to identify valid and sound arguments.
2. In the trial of Dudley and Stephens, how did the defense argue that Dudley and Stephens were innocent? Why does the prosecution reject this argument? How would a utilitarian judge the case? * They were argued to be innocent because it was out of necessity to kill the boy * Had they not killed and eaten the boy, they could have died * The boy was already struggling to stay alive, he would have been the first to die anyway * A utilitarian would say that it was for the benefit of three others, when otherwise all 4 of them would have died of starvation
3. Be familiar with the basic structure of “The Trolley Problem,” including the “fat man variant.” * Stay on the track and hit 3 people with the train, or pull the lever and steer off the track to hit just 1 person * With the fat man variant, push the fat man off a bridge to stop the train from hitting the 3 people with the train
4. I said that consequentialism is a two-step process. What are those two steps a consequentialist takes to arrive at her theory? * Identify the good/valuable * Bring that about * Utilitarianism * Value = happiness
5. Define utilitarianism * The proper course of action is the one that maximizes utility specifically defined as maximizing happiness and minimizing suffering
6. What is the difference between intrinsic value and instrumental value? * Intrinsic: value within itself * i.e. a feeling of happiness * Instrumental: Used to promote happiness * i.e. exercise, money, food, etc.
7. When we refer to the ‘interests of the community,’ what does Bentham claim we are referring to (and can only be referring to)? * The sum of the interests of the members who compose the community
8. Does Bentham endorse utilitarianism as a view about personal morality, or a view about
2. In the trial of Dudley and Stephens, how did the defense argue that Dudley and Stephens were innocent? Why does the prosecution reject this argument? How would a utilitarian judge the case? * They were argued to be innocent because it was out of necessity to kill the boy * Had they not killed and eaten the boy, they could have died * The boy was already struggling to stay alive, he would have been the first to die anyway * A utilitarian would say that it was for the benefit of three others, when otherwise all 4 of them would have died of starvation
3. Be familiar with the basic structure of “The Trolley Problem,” including the “fat man variant.” * Stay on the track and hit 3 people with the train, or pull the lever and steer off the track to hit just 1 person * With the fat man variant, push the fat man off a bridge to stop the train from hitting the 3 people with the train
4. I said that consequentialism is a two-step process. What are those two steps a consequentialist takes to arrive at her theory? * Identify the good/valuable * Bring that about * Utilitarianism * Value = happiness
5. Define utilitarianism * The proper course of action is the one that maximizes utility specifically defined as maximizing happiness and minimizing suffering
6. What is the difference between intrinsic value and instrumental value? * Intrinsic: value within itself * i.e. a feeling of happiness * Instrumental: Used to promote happiness * i.e. exercise, money, food, etc.
7. When we refer to the ‘interests of the community,’ what does Bentham claim we are referring to (and can only be referring to)? * The sum of the interests of the members who compose the community
8. Does Bentham endorse utilitarianism as a view about personal morality, or a view about