Download Christian Ethics – First Quarter Review Questions (pp. 3

Christian Ethics – First Quarter
Review Questions (pp. 3-45) – Test #1 – September 12, 2013
INTRODUCTION AND RELATIVISM
1.
What is ethics? (p. 3)
2.
What sort of precision should be expected in the study of ethics? How is this different from other areas of study? (p. 4)
3.
What is the general definition of relativism? (p. 9)
4.
Name and define the two specific types of relativism that can be found in the book’s definition. (pp. 9-10) You should know the names of
the two types as found in the book and as discussed in class.
5.
Why is relativism a threat to the study of ethics? (pp. 10-11)
6.
What do the terms subjective and objective mean? (p. 11)
7.
For each of the three partial truths/reasons relativism is appealing:
a. What is the basic position of relativism pertaining to this reason?
b. What is the partial truth?
c. What is the author’s criticism of relativism? (pp. 11-14)
8.
Under “The Virtues of Tolerance and Compassion,” in particular: what is the difference between relativism and Jesus on the question of
“judging”? (p. 13-14)
9.
What three additional arguments were given for why relativism is wrong and unappealing? (explain them) (pp. 14-16)
10. What can be learned from the list of similarities between moral codes that was compiled by C. S. Lewis? (pp. 16-18)
11. What are the five purposes of morality/ethics as discussed in class?
ARISTOTLE
1.
What were the personal facts about Aristotle discussed in class and in the text? (no need to memorize the dates) (p. 23)
2.
What is Aristotle’s view of the world in general? What does teleology mean? Give a non-human example. (pp. 23-24)
3.
What is the telos of human life? What does eudaimonia mean? How did Aristotle arrive at this position? How do people agree and
disagree on this topic? (p. 24)
4.
Know Aristotle’s view of happiness and objectivity. What are the subjective elements? What is the objective element? (pp. 24-26)
5.
What is Aristotle’s response to the vicious person who says he is happy? (pp. 26-27)
6.
How can Aristotle’s ethics be an “antidote” to relativism? (p. 27)
7.
What is character? The terms describing the two parts of the definition? How are the two parts related? (p. 28)
8.
Name and describe the three parts of the human being. With which parts are ethics concerned, and why? (pp. 28-29)
9.
How are virtues and character formed? What is habituation? What is the relation between actions and character? (pp. 29-30)
10. What are the four character types? Describe the experience of moral decisions/temptations for each of these types of people. (pp. 30-32)
11. Why does Aristotle think the virtuous person is happiest, and the other character types not happy? (pp. 32-33)
12. What is the golden mean of moderation? How does it define virtues and vices? (pp. 33-34)
13. Why is it a difficult and challenging thing to be virtuous, as opposed to being vicious? (p. 34)
14. How is the golden mean relative to the person? What is still objective about Aristotle’s view here? (p. 34)
15. Be able to name at least two specific activities and describe the corresponding vices and the virtue. (p. 34)
16. What is the ‘exception to the rule’ of the golden mean? What does “essentially evil” mean? What examples might be offered? (p. 35)
17. Explain the pieces of practical advice Aristotle gives for finding the golden mean and virtue. (pp. 35-38)
18. What are the similarities and differences between Aristotle’s ethics and Christian morality? (pp. 38-42)