First Midterm Study Guide

PHL 205 - CONTEMPORARY MORAL ISSUES
FIRST MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE
SPRING 2016
PART 1.

MAKING MORAL ARGUMENTS: What problems are there with moral relativism? What premise about the nature of morality is being assumed for the purposes of class discussion? Why is making this assumption necessary for substantial, academic or philosophical discussion of moral issues?

Be able to define and identify the following fallcies: ad hominem, tu quoque, ad populum, straw man, red herring, lack of proportion. What is the difference between a fundamental moral premise, empirical premise and legal premise in an argument? (you may be asked to identify particular examples). What is an argument by analogy and how can it be used in supporting a moral argument? Can people agree on the same moral principles but still disagree on a particular social issue? Why or why not?

What are some widely agreed upon fundamental moral premises which can be used as the basis of an argument?

LGBT ISSUES: What does LGBT stand for? How much of the population does it represent according to demographer Gary Gates in the NPR interview? According to the National Health Statistics Report of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), what percentage of the population is heterosexual?

What other classes of people have sought and been granted special protection under the law in the U.S.? What organizations do such non-discrimination laws apply to? What is a "place of public accommodation?"

Is gay couples' inability to conceive children together a logical reason to prohibit gay marriage? Why or why not? What legal restrictions are there on marriage in the U.S.?

What measures were passed by the state legislature protect religious liberty against claims of discrimination by LGBT in Georgia, North Carolina, South Dakota and Mississippi? (Note: In class I confused the Georgia bill, which the Governor vetoed, with the North Carolina bill, which the Governor signed into law).

What happened in the landmark Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery case in Oregon? What issues were at stake and why is it significant? What analogies did the instructor use in support of Melissa and Aaron Klein, the defendants in the case?

What did the Supreme Case of Lawrence v. Texas establish? What did the Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges establish? What was the legal reasoning behind each case?

How does the U.S. treatment of the LGBT community compare with other countries? What countries are the most friendly? The most hostile?

What does the Bible have to say about altering one's gender identity and homosexuality?

Why did Floyd Corkins attack the Family Research Center in Washington DC?

What are the arguments for and against comparing sexual orientation or gender identity with race?

Why did the instructor include readings about "human pets" and the BDSM lifestyle in a section on LGBT rights?

According to the Gallup poll, what has been the trend regarding acceptance of same-sex relationships and marriages? What percentage of the population still believes same-sex relationships to be morally wrong? What percentage opposes homosexuality for religious reasons?

On what basis does Leah Barkoukis of Townhall.com charge PayPal with hypocrisy for cancelling plans to open a center in North Carolina due to the State's new anti-discrimination law?