Question 1

Talk about:
-Prisoner's dilemma

Accepted Answer

a situation in which the pursuit of self-interest by all parties leads to a worse outcome than if each were to compromise.

Question 2

Talk about:
-State of nature

Accepted Answer

anarchy; a situation in which there was no government, no central authority, no group with the exclusive power to enforce its will on others.

Question 3

Talk about:
-Veil of ignorance

Accepted Answer

an imaginary device that erases all knowledge of your distinctive traits in preparation for selecting principles of justice or morality.

Question 4

Describe in detail a prisoner's dilemma situation and explain what makes the situation a prisoner's dilemma. Does contractarianism provide a satisfying solution to prisoner's dilemma situations? Defend your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe in detail a prisoner's dilemma situation...

Question 5

Explain the veil of ignorance. What work does the veil do for contractarianism? What do you think contractors would agree to from behind the veil? Do you think that this is a good approach to contractarianism? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the veil of ignorance. What work...

Question 6

Write an essay on the relation between self-interest and morality in contractarianism. What role does self-interest play in determining which moral standards are correct, according to the theory? Do contractarians think that it is always in our self-interest to behave morally? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Write an essay on the relation between...

Question 7

The decisions of hypothetical contractors play an important role in contractarianism. Suppose that such contractors failed to agree about some moral question. How serious of a problem would this be for contractarianism? Describe Rawls's idea of the veil of ignorance and explain how it might be able to solve this problem. Do you think it succeeds? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The decisions of hypothetical contractors play an...

Question 8

According to Hobbes, life in the absence of a government would be
A) wonderful.
B) about the same as it is with government.
C) horrible.
D) more just.

Accepted Answer

According to Hobbes, life in the absence of government would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." Without a common power to enforce laws and protect individuals, there would be no security or stability, resulting in constant fear and potential violence.

Question 9

According to Hobbes, moral obligations arise from
A) God's commands.
B) sympathy for others.
C) social contracts.
D) social conventions.

Accepted Answer

Hobbes believed that moral obligations arise from social contracts, which people enter into to escape the state of nature and secure their own self-preservation. In these contracts, individuals agree to relinquish some of their freedoms in exchange for protection by a governing authority, and are obligated to follow the rules and laws established by that authority.

Question 10

In Hobbes's example, "the Fool" is someone who
A) believes that it is sometimes rational to behave unjustly.
B) believes that it is always rational to behave morally.
C) acts altruistically and neglects his own self-interest.
D) doesn't believe that anything is just or unjust.

Accepted Answer

In Hobbes's example, "the Fool" is someone who believes that it is sometimes rational to behave unjustly. The Fool is guided by his own personal desires rather than reason or morality, and is willing to act in a way that may harm others or himself in the long run. Hobbes argues that this type of behavior is ultimately self-defeating and counterproductive.

Question 11

According to Hobbes, what is the principal cause of conflict in the state of nature?
A) Competition
B) Diffidence
C) Glory
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

According to Thomas Hobbes, in the state of nature, the principal causes of conflict are competition, diffidence, and glory. These elements drive individuals to engage in conflicts for resources, security, and reputation, respectively.

Question 12

According to Hobbes, in the state of nature,
A) people act unjustly toward one another.
B) people act justly toward one another.
C) good people act justly while bad people act unjustly.
D) there is no justice or injustice.

Accepted Answer

Hobbes believes that in the state of nature, there is no justice or injustice because there is no established authority or social contract to define and enforce them. Every individual is free to act in their own self-interest, which leads to a situation of constant conflict and war. Therefore, Hobbes believed that a strong, absolute monarchy was necessary to establish order and protect individuals from the chaos of the state of nature.

Question 13

Why does Hobbes think that we should seek peace?
A) Because it is in our own self-interest
B) Because it is in the interest of others
C) Because God commands it
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

According to Hobbes, humans are selfish creatures who are constantly in competition with one another. Seeking peace and social order is therefore necessary for our own self-interest, as it allows us to avoid the chaos and violence that would result from this competition. Hobbes does not appeal to God or argue that seeking peace is in the interest of others.

Question 14

According to Hobbes, what is needed to ensure that a contract is followed?
A) The contracting parties must act in good faith.
B) The contract must be in each party's best interest.
C) There must be some power to force contracting parties to follow it.
D) The contract must be in writing.

Accepted Answer

According to Hobbes, a contract ultimately requires a power to enforce it in order to ensure it is followed. This power can be the state, or some other authority that can punish those who do not fulfill their end of the bargain. Without this power, there is no guarantee that the contract will be upheld.

Question 15

What is the "state of nature?"
A) A situation in which there are no laws of government
B) A utopia in which everyone lives in perfect harmony
C) A government that is set up so that everything functions as it ought to
D) A place completely unpopulated by humans

Accepted Answer

The state of nature is a hypothetical situation in which there is no government or laws to regulate human behavior. In this state, individuals are free to do as they please and are in a constant state of conflict with one another. This idea was developed by political philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and John Locke as a way of understanding the purpose of government and how society should be organized.

Question 16

What is Hobbes's definition of injustice?
A) Treatment of people as they do not deserve to be treated
B) The performance of an action that does not bring about the best consequences
C) The conviction of an innocent person for a serious crime
D) The breaking of a contract

Accepted Answer

According to Hobbes, injustice is the breaking of a contract. He believed that individuals enter into a social contract with a sovereign in order to establish peace and security, and that the breaking of this contract through unjust actions is the source of conflict and disorder in society.

Question 17

Under what circumstances does Hobbes think that people act for reasons other than self-interest?
A) When interacting with their family
B) When serving their country
C) Both a and b
D) None of the above (People always act out of self-interest.)

Accepted Answer

According to Hobbes, people always act out of self-interest, even when they engage in seemingly selfless acts such as helping their family or serving their country. For Hobbes, the pursuit of self-interest is fundamental to human nature and motivates all human actions.

Question 18

What did Hobbes mean by the state of nature? What did he imagine life would be like in such a state? How did he suggest that people could get out of such a state? Do you agree with his assessment of the state of nature? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What did Hobbes mean by the state...

Question 19

Describe Hobbes's character of "the Fool." How does the Fool raise a problem for contractarianism? What is Hobbes's solution to this problem? Do you find it convincing? Defend your answers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe Hobbes's character of "the Fool." How...

Question 20

According to Hobbes, what is the relationship between self-interest and morality and how does this relationship support contractarianism as a moral theory? Do you agree with him about this relationship? Do you agree that it supports contractarianism? Defend your answers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Hobbes, what is the relationship...

Quiz 7: Social Contract Theory

Talk about: -Prisoner's dilemma

Talk about: -State of nature

Talk about: -Veil of ignorance

Describe in detail a prisoner's dilemma situation and explain what makes the situation a prisoner's dilemma. Does contractarianism provide a satisfying solution to prisoner's dilemma situations? Defend your answer.

Explain the veil of ignorance. What work does the veil do for contractarianism? What do you think contractors would agree to from behind the veil? Do you think that this is a good approach to contractarianism? Why or why not?

Write an essay on the relation between self-interest and morality in contractarianism. What role does self-interest play in determining which moral standards are correct, according to the theory? Do contractarians think that it is always in our self-interest to behave morally? Why or why not?

According to Hobbes, life in the absence of a government would be

According to Hobbes, moral obligations arise from

In Hobbes's example, "the Fool" is someone who

According to Hobbes, what is the principal cause of conflict in the state of nature?

According to Hobbes, in the state of nature,

Why does Hobbes think that we should seek peace?

According to Hobbes, what is needed to ensure that a contract is followed?

What is the "state of nature?"

What is Hobbes's definition of injustice?

Under what circumstances does Hobbes think that people act for reasons other than self-interest?

What did Hobbes mean by the state of nature? What did he imagine life would be like in such a state? How did he suggest that people could get out of such a state? Do you agree with his assessment of the state of nature? Why or why not?

Describe Hobbes's character of "the Fool." How does the Fool raise a problem for contractarianism? What is Hobbes's solution to this problem? Do you find it convincing? Defend your answers.

According to Hobbes, what is the relationship between self-interest and morality and how does this relationship support contractarianism as a moral theory? Do you agree with him about this relationship? Do you agree that it supports contractarianism? Defend your answers.