Philosophy 130 Test 2

-the good will (referring to faculty of volition) is the only thing that can be said to be good without qualification, or good in itself. A good will is a will that does as reason bids, not as inclination (desire or emotion) demands.
-rationalist view in that it relies on reason only, not experience
-

one rule that we should always act on

If and only if it is the right act, regardless of the motive

If and only if one does the right act with the right motive.

in accord with duty because it is right to charge a fair price, but it is done from inclination (desire) and not from duty (out of respect for the moral law).

An act done from duty alone, with out inclination.

command conditionally
They are if-then claims: If you want X, then do Y!

are not conditional or hypothetical, but command categorically.
A categorical imperative is in the form, “Do Y!”

The principle of the equality of human beings is not a description of an alleged actual equality among humans
it is a prescription of how we should treat human beings

A prejudice or bias in favor of the interests of one’s own species and against the interests of other species.

If a being can suffer, there can be no moral justification for refusing to take that suffering into consideration. YES.

Singer believes that human lives are, in general, more valuable than the lives of nonhuman animals

1) Taking care of our own: Singer thinks this is a bad reason
2) Higher capacities: Responsibility Capacity for rational altruism Desire for self-respect

it is our higher capacities that serve to justify the claim that human interests should be treated as primary

If our higher capacities justify unequal treatment, why should a human without these capacities receive more consideration than, say, an extraordinary chimp?