philosophy
Study Books Used in Class:
The Fundamentals of Ethics by Shafer-Landau
Description:
Ethics/Philosophy Writing Assignment
Required book – The Fundamentals of Ethics by Shafer-Landau
1. A contemporary philosopher, Ronald Dworkin, has written, “In my own view, someone who leads a boring, conventional life without close friendships or challenges or achievements, marking time to his grave, has not had a good life, even If he thinks he has and even if he has thoroughly enjoyed the life he has had.” Would a hedonist agree with this statement? What about a desire satisfaction theorist? And what about someone who believes in an “objective theory of human welfare”? (See page 44 of our textbook for an account of this third type of theory.) Be sure to cite reasons for the answers you give, and, in addition, be careful to make clear what each of the theories mentioned here maintains.
2. When he first starts discussing hedonism and the desire satisfaction theory, Shafer-Landau cites as a point in favor of each theory that neither one puts forward an “objective theory of human welfare.” (see pages 24-25 and 44-45) But by the end of his discussion of theories of human well-being in Chapter 4, he says that it is a flaw in the desire satisfaction theory that it doesn’t give an objective account of human welfare. What reasons does Shafer-Landau cite to support his view in Chapter 4 that it is a flaw in the desire satisfaction theory that it doesn’t give an objective account of human welfare?
Answer each questions separately and answer all the questions here. In giving your answers, pretend you are writing for someone who has not read the Shafer-Landau text or attended our class. Write your paper in such a way that a person of this sort could understand the material you are explaining. Also try to put things in your own words as much as possible, rather than simply parroting back what is written in Shafer-Landau’s book. Your aim here should be to demonstrate to me that you understand the material. 4 pages double spaced.
