PHL 205 - CONTEMPORARY MORAL ISSUES
FIRST MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE
SPRING 2017
PART 1: Making Moral Arguments, Feminism
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? 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 are some widely agreed upon fundamental moral premises which can be used as the basis of an argument?

FEMINISM: Are there any innate biological differences between men and women which affects their behavior or ability to perform certain jobs? Why is it that patriarchy lasted so long? What pivotal social changes or historical events laid the groundwork for women's rights, apart from political activism on the part of suffragettes and feminists? What are some positive impacts and criticisms of the feminist movement in the U.S.? How are women's rights outside North America and Europe (a.k.a. "the West")? How do women fare in fundamentalist Muslim countries in the Middle East compared to the West?

Who has more college degrees: men or women? It is often claimed that the fact that women on the average make 70 or 80 cents on the dollar compared to men is evidence of overt sexism and institutional discrimination against women. What are some other explanations for the "wage gap" and "glass ceiling" other than overt sexism discussed in class and in the reading? How to the salaries of  never married women without children compare to the salaries of their male counterparts?

Are men and women's brains wired differently? If so, how? How do rates of serious and violent crime compare between men and women? Why is feminism a dirty word to both women and men? What is the difference between first, second and third-wave feminism? How does Ashley Judd's speech and the "Women's March" in Washington D.C. in general illustrate the negative associations some people have with third wave feminism? What issues does Warren Farrell raise about the effect of the feminist movement on men? What special, underappreciated challenges are faced by men?

What changes to male dating and marriage behavior might be a seen as a reaction to feminism? Who are the herbivores men in Japan and what is the MGTOW movement? According to the instructor, what does the reaction of many people (particularly men) to female teachers having voluntary (but statutorily illegal) sexual relationships with teenage students illustrate? When it is a male teacher and a female student, why do people often make different judgements about the cases (for example, this recent story of a 15 yr old girl who ran off with her 50 year old teacher)?

What are honor killings and what motivates them? What is FGM? Why is it performed? What are some examples of restrictions on women's rights around the world? What is Sharia and how is it related to women's rights (and the "Women's March" in Washington D.C/?)

What's the difference between de facto and de jure policies? Do women have to sign up for the military draft? Why might that change now that women are allowed in combat roles? What are some other issues that arise from women serving in the military, particularly on board Navy ships and in combat?

What is Equal Pay Day and how did recent DNC  (Democrat National Committee) plans to celebrate it turn sour? According to a study cited in the story about this, how much did Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pay her female staffers compared to male staffers?