Questions for Trolley Problem and The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas
1. Consider the trolley problem. Would you do what the 90% would? Why?
2. Utilitarians think that the trolley problem shows that most people think that aggregating happiness is morally acceptable. Do you agree?
3. Consider “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” – what is the criticism? Is this convincing?

Questions For Pinto Madness and Kant - Criticism of Consequentialism
1. The Ford Pinto case illustrates an attempt to measure happiness. What do you think a utilitarian would say?
2. How could a characteristic be good, but not good in itself?
3. In what sense is nothing good-in-itself except a good will?
4. Why does Kant refuse to count the consequences as morally relevant?
5. In what way does our legal system recognize the importance of intentions and consequences? What do you think Kant would say about our legal system?

Questions For Kant - Deontology
1. Why do the shopkeeper’s actions not count as moral?
2. Explain the difference between an action done ‘against duty’ and action done ‘from duty’ and an action done ‘in accordance with duty’
3. What is wrong with people “spreading joy around them”
4. How could a person who is “cold and indifferent to the sufferings of others” be a moral person?
5. Describe the difference between practical and pathological love? Why do you think Kant favors practical love?
6. Do you agree with Kant that actions done from feelings cannot be morally relevant? Can you think of an example to support your belief?
7. What does true morality require?

Questions For Aristotle - What is Happiness
1. (and group 6) How do you think Aristotle defines eudaimonia?
2. What is a function? Why does Aristotle think that a person has a function?
3. (and group 7) How does Aristotle argue for the human function?
4. Why do you think Aristotle starts talking about ‘good’ and ‘excellence’ in regard to functioning?
5. Why do you think Aristotle adds ‘in a complete life’ to his definition of happiness?
- Why do you think Aristotle says that happiness will be an activity?

Questions For Aristotle - Social Virtue and Aristotle - Intellectual and Moral Virtue
1.    What is the nutritive part of the soul? Why does the nutritive part of the soul have nothing to do with human excellence?
2.    How could there be a part of the soul that is partly rational but partly irrational?
3.    How does the soul perform rational activity?
4.    Why does Aristotle think that humans are political animals (i.e., social animals)?
5.    (and group 7) How could we translate the word “logos”? What makes you think that?
6.    How is society “prior in natural to” individuals?

Questions For Aristotle - Moral Virtue and Vice
1. Why does Aristotle talk about healthy bodies? How does this help him talk about moral virtue?
2. What is the difference between ‘intermediate in the object’ and intermediate ‘relative to us’?
3. Why doesn’t every passion and action have a mean?
4. Aristotle give the example of the virtue of temperance. Describe Aristotle’s discussion of it relative to Socrates and Callicles discussion about desires.
5. (And group 7) Pick an analysis of two virtues from pages 4-5 and their corresponding vices and tell us about them. Does Aristotle’s analysis on this point make sense? Why or why not?
6. In what sense are some vices more opposed to virtue than other vices?

Questions For Aristotle - Habit and Character
1. How do we form intellectual virtue? How do we form moral virtue? (1a-b)
2. Why example does Aristotle use to show that we are neither good nor bad by nature? (1a)
3. How do legislators use laws to produce virtuous people? (1b) Do you think this would work in an American context? Can you think of any examples? (1b)
4. Aristotle goes back to his analogy between virtue of the soul and health of the body? How does it help him talk about becoming virtuous? (1b)
5. Explain this quote: “the sources and causes of their origination and growth [are] the same as those of their destruction” (3a).
6. When do we become virtuous people, according to Aristotle? (2a, 3a-b) Do you agree with this?
7. What is the role of philosophy in becoming morally virtuous? (3b)

Readings:
- Excerpts from: “Would You Kill One Person to Save Five? New Research on a Classic Debate” (2011), John Cloud - Trolley problem
- “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” (1973), Ursula K. Leguin
- Excerpts from: Mark Dowie, “Pinto Madness” (1977). In Mother Jones
- Excerpts from: Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals (1785), Immanuel Kant - Deontology, Criticism of Consequentialism
- Aristotle. Nichomachean Ethics (350 BCE), excerpts - What is happiness?, Intellectual and Social Virtue, Moral virtue and Vice,Habit and Character
- Aristotle. Politics (C. 350 BCE), excerpts from Book IV - Social Virtue

Questions for Trolley Problem and The Ones Who Walk Away From Omela...