Moral Philosophy: Kant vs Hume, Hobbes vs Rousseau
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Questions and Answers

According to Hume, what is the driving force behind determining right or wrong actions?

  • Logical reasoning
  • Universal laws
  • Sentiment (correct)
  • Self-interest

    • Kant believes that actions must be judged based on their consequences to determine morality.

    False

    What psychological mechanism does Hume believe allows us to make moral judgments?

    Sympathy

    According to Kant, _____ is always wrong, even if it saves someone's life.

    <p>lying</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following philosophers with their core beliefs:

    <p>Hume = Morality based on sentiment Kant = Morality based on reason Hobbes = Humans are born evil Rousseau = Humans are innately good</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Kant believe is the endpoint of history?

    <p>Perfectly just civil institutions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Herder argues that all cultures should be judged by European standards.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Mary Wollstonecraft argue regarding women's capacity for reason?

    <p>Women have the same inherent potential as men.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Herder, happiness is not tied to __________ or social progress.

    <p>political structures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the philosopher to their main idea:

    <p>Kant = Predetermined endpoint of history Herder = Validity of diverse cultural achievements Wollstonecraft = Capacity for reason in women Rousseau = Contrast of present with ideal future</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What analogy does Wollstonecraft use to criticize the subjection of women?

    <p>Comparison to hereditary government</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Kant believes that humans need external authority to develop properly.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Herder's perspective on government and its necessity for human development?

    <p>Government arises from practical needs rather than being necessary for development.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Hobbes, what drives humans in their interactions with others?

    <p>Self-interest and desire for power</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Rousseau agreed with Hobbes' view that humans are born with a tendency towards evil.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Rousseau identify as the two key principles that drive natural man in the first state of nature?

    <p>Self-preservation and pity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hobbes described the state of nature as 'solitary, poor, ________, brutish and short.'

    <p>nasty</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following terms with their corresponding definitions:

    <p>First State of Nature = Humans living in isolation focused on survival Second State of Nature = Emergence of cooperation and inequality Third State of Nature = Establishment of property and political institutions Social Contract = Agreement to form societies and govern</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What concept does Rousseau believe emerges as individuals begin to live in groups in the second state of nature?

    <p>Comparison leading to pride and inequality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Kant views social institutions as entirely detrimental to personal development.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what way does Kant critique Rousseau's view on the state of nature?

    <p>Kant believes Rousseau is idealizing a golden age that never existed, instead of focusing on building a better future.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Rousseau asserts that property ownership leads to the first seeds of __________.

    <p>inequality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Hobbes believe occurs in the state of war among individuals?

    <p>Freedom to pursue desires without regard for others</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Kant believes that the aim of nature is to foster self-sufficiency and isolation among individuals.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What two developments in the third state of nature does Rousseau associate with intensified inequalities?

    <p>Agriculture and metallurgy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Rousseau believed that the ______ state of nature was peaceful, while the third state led to social inequalities.

    <p>first</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match each philosopher with their key belief about human nature:

    <p>Hobbes = Humans are naturally self-interested and competitive Rousseau = Humans are born good but corrupted by society Kant = Nature aims for a just society through moral autonomy Hegel = Society evolves through a dialectical process</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Kant vs Hume (Moral Philosophy)

    • Hume's morality stems from sentiment (feelings about actions).

    • Moral judgments are based on approval/disapproval of actions, often driven by sympathy.

    • Actions are judged virtuous/vicious based on their consequences.

    • Examples of actions considered virtuous/vicious will elicit emotional responses in the observer, not logical reasoning.

    • Hume believed self-interest and benevolence were compatible.

    • Kant's morality stems from reason, duty, and the categorical imperative (universal moral laws).

    • Actions are moral when driven by good will and adherence to duty, not considering consequences.

    • Lying is always wrong, even if it saves a life.

    Hobbes vs Rousseau

    • Hobbes believed humans are inherently self-interested and driven by power.

    • In the state of nature, a "war of all against all" exists, creating fear and competition.

    • Hobbes considered moral constraints nonexistent in a state of nature.

    • He believed human life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" in the state of nature.

    • Society exists only because of humans fear of being powerless.

    • Rousseau believed Hobbes attributed societal characteristics to the natural state of man.

    • Rousseau saw natural man as inherently good, compassionate, and content.

    • Natural man is driven by self-preservation and pity before reason.

    • Rousseau's first stage of nature was isolation, focused on basic needs.

    • The second stage saw cooperation.

    • Rousseau's third stage saw the emergence of institutions and inequality stemming from the concept of private property

    • Rousseau contrasted Hobbes's view – that competition and fear are natural – by seeing it as a societal deviation from an initial peaceful state, fuelled by necessities and ultimately inequalities.

    Rousseau vs Kant

    • Rousseau: Initially isolated (first stage). Cooperation emerged from survival needs (second stage). Comparison, merit, and hierarchy emerged, but physical inequality was dominant early on. Massive inequality arose in the third state due to agriculture, metallurgy, and property. This created artificial/social inequalities. Political institutions emerged to control this social inequality.

    • Kant: More optimistic, hoping for a society governed by republican states which promote perfect justice.

    • Kant viewed human's ability to be their own moral agents as a necessary end goal.

    • Kant believed 'unsocial sociability' drives progress toward a rationally structured society.

    • Kant acknowledged inequality existed in society, but believed social structures are instrumental in developing reason and achieving perfection.

    Herder vs Kant

    • Herder viewed judging cultures by European standards as arrogant and misguided.

    • He saw diverse cultures as valid in their own right.

    • Happiness and contentment are attainable irrespective of political structure.

    • Herder considered tradition foundational to human development.

    • Herder believed humans can develop without external authority.

    • For Kant, history has a predetermined goal, while Herder argued each society develops uniquely.

    Mary Wollstonecraft

    • Wollstonecraft argued against the notion that women lack reason.
    • She emphasized the importance of education for women.
    • She drew parallels between women's oppression and the injustice of hereditary government.
    • She believed that women possess the same potential as men.

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    Description

    This quiz delves into the core principles of moral philosophy as articulated by Kant, Hume, Hobbes, and Rousseau. Explore the contrasts between sentiment-driven morality and duty-based ethics, as well as views on human nature and moral constraints in the state of nature.

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