Can ethical relativism make sense of the idea of moral progress? Does moral progress really exist? 2. Some people claim that moral nihilism is not true because, if it were, there would be disastrous consequences. Are they right and is this is a good argument against moral nihilism? 3. Act utilitarians say that the good must be maximized, no matter what. How does this lead to the problem of injustice? Explain. 4. Utilitarians think that some humans are morally equal to some animals. What do they mean by this? Do you agree with them? Explain. 5. What is the relationship between Kant’s principle of univeralizability and the principle of humanity? Do the two ever give conflicting advice? If so, which do you think is a better guide to our moral obligations? 6. We saw that the problem of justice could be quite serious for utiltarianism/consequentialism. Is this problem a problem for Kantian ethics as well? Why or why not? 7. In response to those who point out her view might justify infanticide, Warren has responded that it does not because a) other people, besides the mother, would like to raise the infant themselves and b) others also value infants and would prefer they not be killed. Are these responses adequate, in your opinion? Explain. 8. In “A Defense of Abortion,” J. J. Thomson constructs a thought experiment based on people seeds which float through the air to argue that abortion is acceptable when a woman becomes pregnant through consensual sex using birth control. Is her thought experiment successful? Why or why not? 9. How plausible do you think it is to model the moral relations between people on that of a caring mother to her child?
