Ethical Systems, Final Exam Questions, Fall 2016, Douglas Green, Page 1 of 1

Ethical Systems, Final Exam Questions, Fall 2016, Douglas Green, Page 1 of 1
Ethical Systems/Final Exam Study Questions and Prompts
Your final exam will be held in class on Thursday, December 8 at 7:00 pm.
Unfortunately, no electronic devices or course readings will be allowed to aid you in
your test taking but you will be permitted to use a single printed page of notes that
will NOT exceed 250 words in length. On the day of the test, please bring a pen and
a blank blue-book. If you are unfamiliar with blue-books, you can purchase them at
the bookstore. It would benefit you to come prepared on the day of the test as I will
not have any materials for you to take the midterm and you will fail this assignment.
If you are absent on the day of the test and the absence is unexcused, you will not be
allowed to make it up. My advice to you is to come on the day of the test, sick or not,
as the make-up test will be completely different from the study questions provided.
STUDY QUESTIONS: Study carefully the following prompts carefully as I am looking
for detailed responses including references to the readings (quotations or
comprehensive use of paraphrasing are best).
1. Discuss the difference between historical principles of justice versus current timeslice
principles of justice. Which model does Robert Nozick favor and why?
2. Explain why games are the type of allegory used to model individual behavior in
game theory. What do games say about human nature?
3. What is John Rawls’ famous metaphor of the veil of ignorance? Explain what it
means and what it says about human nature.
4. Briefly describe the theories on egoism by Ayn Rand and Adam Smith. How do
their theories differ and what is the role of competition in this difference?
5. Explain Daniel Wegner’s concepts of phenomenological will and empirical will.
What is the value of human consciousness if it is decoupled from decision making?