FINAL EXAM REVIEW FOR CHRISTIAN ETHICS*
I.
Prepare for essay questions based upon your reading of J. Budziszewski’s What We
Cannot Not Know (50%). Best way to prepare is to bombard each of the four
sections and chapter titles with the following questions: What does he mean? Why
is this important? What is his justification? How did he come to that conclusion?
Consider the following examples:
Under Section I of What We Can’t Not Know: What is “it” that we can’t not
know? How did the author come to that conclusion? What is his justification?
Chapter 1: What are the things we can’t not know? Why is this important?
Chapter 2: What is it that we can’t not know?
Chapter 3: Could we get by knowing less? What does this chapter mean and why is
this issue important?
Under Section II: Explaining the Lost World: What is his explanation? How did
he come to that explanation?
Chapter 4: What is the first and second witness? How does he substantiate these
points?
Chapter 5: What is the third and fourth witness? How does he substantiate these
points?
Chapter 6: What are the objections Budziszewski discusses? Does he refute those
objections?
Under Section III: How the Lost World was Lost? What does he mean by “lost
world” and how does the author say this “lost world” was “lost”?
Chapter 7: What does he mean by “Denial?” Why is this important? Does he offer
any justification?
Chapter 8: What does he mean by “Eclipse?” Why is this important? Does he offer
any justification?
Under Section IV: Recovering the Lost World? What suggestions does he offer to
recover the lost world?
Chapter 9: What does he mean in the statement, “public relations of moral wrong?”
How did he come to that conclusion? Why is this important?
Chapter 10: What does he mean in the statement, “The public relations of moral
right?” How did he come to that conclusion? Why is this important?
Chapter 11: What does the author mean “possible futures?” What is the author
proposing?
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II.
Know the following Terms (matching). These terms are found in class notes
(powerpoint), Geisler reading, and lecture material (25%).
Absolutism
Aretaic Graded Absolutism* (from lecture)
Cognitive Ethics
Conflict Absolutism
Consequentialism
Cultural Relativism
Deontological Ethics
Egoism
Emotivism
Ethics
Existentialism
Generalism
The Golden Mean
Graded Absolutism
Hedonism
Individual Relativism
Intuitive Ethics
Kantianism
Quantitative Utilitarianism
Qualitative Utilitarianism
Natural Law Ethics
Objectivism
Pluralism
Prescriptivism
Reflective Equilibrium Ethics
Relativism
Rule Utilitarianism
Secular Humanism
Situational Ethics
Teleological Ethics
Unqualified Absolutism
Utilitarianism
Utilitarian Calculus
Virtue Ethics
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III.
Be able to compare, contrast, and evaluate the following models of ethics. In your
explanation be able to competently explain what their essential components are and
offer an evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses (essay) (25%). My powerpoint
presentation will help you in evaluating these various models.
1. Unqualified Absolutism vs Conflict Absolutism vs Graded Absolutism
2. Deontological Ethics vs Utilitarian Ethics vs Virtue Ethics
3. Natural Law Ethics vs. Relativistic Ethics.
The test will be straightforward. It will demonstrate your skills in being to recognize and
evaluate models of ethics that challenge Christian thought and practice and offer a distinctly
Christian model to those who earnestly desire to imitate Jesus Christ in their thinking, affections,
and choices. Therefore, make your preparation for the final exam as an expression of worship.
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Therefore, there will be three sections to your final exam based upon reading of What We
Can’t Not Know, major terms in ethics, and major models of ethics we have examined.
The percentages for each section of the final exam are subject to change.
This exam is largely based upon essay questions.
The major ethical terms will be matching.
2 Bonus questions will be asked from the following list:
1. Summarize the major views of Abortion in Geisler’s work, Christian Ethics (chapter 8).
2. Summarize the author’s claim in Appendix 1 of What We Can’t Not Know: “The
Decalogue as a Summary of the Natural Law.”
3. Summarize the author’s claim in Appendix 2 of What We Can’t Not Know: “The
Noahide Commandments as a Summary of the Natural Law.”
4. Summarize the author’s claim in Appendix 4 of What We Can’t Not Know: “An
Example of Enmity to Nature: The Redefinition of Pregnancy as a Disease.”
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